Card Number 545, Lena Congo, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small card was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the late nineteenth century as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. The image depicts Lena Congo, an actress of the period, posed in what was considered an elegant style. These cards were part of a larger trend in advertising, linking consumer products with popular figures to enhance their appeal. In this case, the association with an actress like Congo aimed to imbue the cigarettes with a sense of glamour and sophistication. What’s interesting is the institutional context: how did images of women circulate, and what role did the emerging advertising industry play in shaping perceptions of gender and celebrity? By examining newspapers, playbills, and other archival materials, we can begin to understand the complex social forces at play in the creation and consumption of images like this one. This helps us appreciate art not just as aesthetic objects, but as historical documents that reflect the values and power structures of their time.