Card Number 70, Pauline Hall, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late 19th century as a cigarette insert, presents the actress Pauline Hall in sepia tones, a photographic print that captures both her likeness and the fashion of the era. The composition is carefully arranged within a small rectangle, where the ornate details of Hall's dress contrast with the more muted backdrop. The semiotic structure of the card is particularly interesting. The visual elements—Hall's dress, her pose, and the very texture of the aged print—are signs that together create a message about beauty, status, and consumption. In a way, the image flattens into a set of signifiers, from her elaborate costume to the Duke Cigarettes logo itself. These would have been decoded by contemporary viewers as markers of luxury and aspiration. The photograph's formal qualities extend beyond mere representation; they are integral to its function as a commodity. The card's small scale and relative disposability suggest that it was not intended as a lasting artwork but as a component of a larger system of exchange and desire.