Card Number 27, Miss Leslie, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 27, Miss Leslie, is a promotional lithograph made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Cross Cut Cigarettes sometime between 1870 and 1920. These cards, which were popular at the time, offer us a glimpse into the world of entertainment and consumer culture. This card features Miss Leslie, an actress whose identity has sadly been lost to history. The portrait presents her as an ideal of feminine beauty: delicate features, a fancy floral hat, and a coy gaze away from the viewer. But let’s think about the layers here. Miss Leslie’s image is being used to sell cigarettes, and the tobacco industry had a huge impact on labor and race relations in the US. These cards reflect the complex intertwining of entertainment, advertising, and the social hierarchies of the time. It reminds us to look critically at the images we consume and to consider the stories they tell – and the stories they leave out.