May Yohe, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This small card, featuring actress May Yohe, was printed by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards, made through industrial printing processes, were essentially tools of mass production and marketing. What makes this image interesting is how it collapses the supposed distance between high culture and low commerce. Yohe, an actress, is transformed into a commodity herself, packaged and distributed with cigarettes. The sepia tone and the sitter's elaborate dress lend an air of sophistication, yet it was made for the everyday purpose of selling tobacco. Consider the labor involved in the tobacco industry and the printing process, and the complex social dynamics of consumption and class, all encapsulated in this small, mass-produced card. It’s a reminder that the materials and modes of production play a crucial role in understanding the cultural significance of even the most unassuming objects.