Daisy Murdock, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This small photograph of Daisy Murdock was produced as a commercial cigarette card by William S. Kimball & Company. Actresses were popular subjects for these cards, which became a craze in the late 19th century. The image is carefully staged. Murdock stands in costume on a plinth as though she were a classical statue, her figure framed by what appears to be a theatrical set. The image seems to invite us to admire her figure, but the card was originally distributed as a promotional item within a packet of cigarettes. The picture thus participates in the commodification of both tobacco and the female body. These photographs offer a glimpse into the entertainment industry of the period, but also into the marketing strategies used to promote consumer goods. By researching theatrical archives, company records, and period advertising, we can learn a great deal about the social and economic context that gave rise to images like this.