From the series "Sports Girls" (C190), issued by the American Cigarette Company, Ltd., Montreal, to promote Gloria Cigarettes 1885 - 1895

This promotional card from the American Cigarette Company was created to market Gloria Cigarettes. Part of the "Sports Girls" series, it speaks volumes about the era's complex relationship with women, sport, and consumerism. Here we see a woman adorned in what appears to be a theatrical costume, one that hints at both luxury and adventure. Yet, this image isn't really about sport. Instead, it borrows from the growing popularity of sport to sell tobacco products to a broader audience. The woman embodies a blend of aspiration and spectacle; she is not a sportswoman, but a symbol of the lifestyle the cigarette brand wishes to align itself with. These cards blur the lines between empowerment and exploitation, reflecting how women were both celebrated and commodified in the public sphere. Consider the emotional weight of such images, designed to entice through a carefully constructed mirage of glamour and freedom, even as they reinforce consumerist ideals. They encourage us to consider the narratives we consume, and whose interests they truly serve.