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

This photograph of Mlle. Lobestini was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, as part of an actresses series to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The albumen print, a popular photographic process in the late 19th century, involved coating paper with egg white and then silver nitrate, creating a smooth surface for the photographic image. The choice of albumen printing gave the image a sepia tone and a glossy finish, contributing to its collectible appeal. These cards, distributed with cigarette packs, exemplify the intersection of commerce and celebrity. They speak to the rise of mass culture and the use of popular figures to promote consumption. The images, like commodities themselves, were mass-produced. Looking at this photograph, we can appreciate how materials and making are tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. It prompts us to consider how such everyday objects reflect and shape cultural values.