Card Number 245, May Lewis, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co.

Card Number 245, May Lewis, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

drawing, print

portrait

photo of handprinted image

drawing

toned paper

print

pencil sketch

charcoal drawing

possibly oil pastel

charcoal art

coloured pencil

underpainting

men

watercolour illustration

watercolor

"Card Number 245, May Lewis" is a trade card from the "Actors and Actresses" series (N145-7) produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes in the 1880s. The card features a black-and-white photograph of May Lewis, a popular actress of the time, with a simple background. The card showcases the company's advertising strategy of using popular figures to increase brand recognition and appeal to a wide audience. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY houses this small yet culturally significant piece of Americana.