Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This is a Goodwin & Company promotional cigarette card of actress Lillian Russell, printed sometime in the late 19th century. As a popular actress and singer, Russell was the darling of the American Gilded Age. These small cards were originally inserted into cigarette packs as a method of advertising and often featured actresses, athletes, or other popular figures. They offer a fascinating glimpse into the ideals and aspirations of the time. Russell, with her beauty and success, represented the possibilities available to women during this era, yet her image was also commodified, used to sell a product that had a fraught relationship to gender, class, and health. In many ways, cards like these are like secular, mass produced icons, they show us how celebrity and consumer culture were beginning to intertwine, creating a system in which identity and worth were increasingly tied to public image and commercial success.