Card Number 377, Mami Cerbi, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This card from the Actors and Actresses series was produced around the turn of the 20th century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes. It features Mami Cerbi, an actress whose gaze drifts slightly to the right, seemingly inviting the viewer to do the same. These cards were a product of their time, reflecting both an increasing interest in celebrity culture and the booming tobacco industry. As advertisements, they offer a glimpse into the era's ideals of beauty and femininity. Cerbi, adorned in a feathered hat and ornate dress, embodies the fashionable actress. But she also reflects broader societal expectations of women – ornamental, poised, and designed for the male gaze. Yet, there's a subversion here too. Actresses like Cerbi were among the few women who had a public voice and presence, even as they navigated the constraints of their time. She's an individual, a performer, with a name and a persona, pushing back in subtle ways against a society that would prefer women remain silent and invisible.