Actress wearing military costume, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

Editor: This is "Actress wearing military costume," a coloured-pencil drawing from 1891, part of a series issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote tobacco. The subject matter is unexpected. What strikes you about this image? Curator: For me, it’s the material reality behind this ephemeral image that is compelling. These tobacco cards were essentially disposable. Yet, consider the labour involved: from the industrial production of the cards themselves to the selection and depiction of this actress, who is most likely performing labor on stage herself, entertaining largely male audiences of that period. Editor: So you're thinking about the actress’s own role as labor, and also, what kind of message the tobacco company was selling? Curator: Exactly! Look at the costume – it’s a theatrical representation, designed to sell an idea, an image. This print becomes a commodity, just like the tobacco it advertises. And consider the consumer: What sort of person might collect these cards? How might they engage with these images of women, essentially consuming both the product and the representation? It's fascinating to examine how mass-produced imagery perpetuates and disseminates ideas about gender and class. Editor: I hadn't thought of the act of collecting as a form of consumption itself. So the value isn't necessarily in the artistic merit, but the context of production, distribution, and… even disposal? Curator: Precisely. These cards give insight into the social fabric of the time, highlighting issues of consumption and gender. Editor: This makes me rethink what “art” is – it’s not just about aesthetics. Curator: Not at all; the means of production are as much of the artwork’s essence as the image. They highlight larger dynamics of industry and society. Editor: Thank you. I am going to see advertising in a very different way now.