Card Number 35, Rose Temple, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes, one of a series made around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It features Rose Temple, an actress, and is typical of the commercial imagery used to market products at the turn of the century. The card's design uses visual codes to create meaning, presenting Temple in a way that associates her allure with the cigarette brand. The idealized image reflects the cultural values and aspirations of the time. Mass-produced items such as this are often overlooked in discussions of visual culture. Yet, they reveal the social conditions that shape artistic production. It is crucial to consider the economic structures and marketing strategies of the time, examining the role of advertising in shaping consumer culture. Historical research into the company, its marketing tactics, and the popular culture of the period would help us better understand its significance. Art is contingent on its social and institutional context.