Mlle. Elisa Saracco, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This photographic print of Mlle. Elisa Saracco was produced in the United States by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It’s one of a series of actresses, but the distribution of the image through tobacco products gives us a clear indication of the position of women in the late 19th century. Consider the economics of the tobacco industry in the US at this time, and the growth in advertising and celebrity culture. This was a male dominated industry using images of women to promote their products. Saracco, an actress, is presented in a theatrical costume, thus blurring the line between performance and reality. The image becomes a commodity, circulated for consumption. The use of photographic prints like this within the context of commercial advertising tells us much about the social and institutional context of art production at the time. By researching the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company and the careers of actresses like Saracco, we can understand the complex relationship between art, commerce, and society.