Card Number 139, Marie Jansen, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-4) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is card number 139 from the Actors and Actresses series, dating from the 1880s. It’s a photographic print featuring Marie Jansen, distributed by Duke Sons & Co. as cigarette advertisements. It's a simple portrait. How do you interpret its context within that era? Curator: This image offers a fascinating snapshot into the cultural landscape of the late 19th century. The commercial use of actress portraits in cigarette cards reveals a shift in advertising, linking consumer products with celebrity endorsements and popular entertainment. Note how photography, once reserved for the elite, became a mass medium. Editor: It's interesting to see how popular culture and commerce intertwine like that. Do you think that by displaying Marie Jansen like this it changed her position in society? Curator: Undoubtedly. It democratized access to imagery of performers, transforming actors into recognizable public figures beyond the theatrical stage. These cards also raise questions about the commodification of image and gender, particularly concerning the visibility and representation of women in the public sphere. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn’t considered before! How did this series shape public perceptions of women in theatre and in the broader culture? Curator: That's the key question, isn’t it? Consider the societal expectations of women at the time versus the assertive presence these actresses project. Was it empowering, objectifying, or something in between? These cards functioned as agents of visibility. Editor: This commercial use adds a layer of complexity to our understanding of portraiture, I appreciate learning about it from a more historical perspective! Curator: Exactly, by exploring it through socio-political lenses we appreciate that historical objects hold multi-layered stories.