Card Number 81, Louise Pauline, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card from the 1880s depicting actress Louise Pauline. The card, part of a series promoting Cameo Cigarettes, features a portrait of Pauline in a simple white dress, seated near a window. The card, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co., is a prime example of the trade card format of advertising, popular in the late 19th century. These cards, often featuring images of popular figures, were distributed as a form of advertising and collectible items. The card's sepia tone and simple composition are characteristic of the photographic style of the period. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this small, but significant piece of theatrical and advertising history.