Card Number 156, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: Here we have "Card Number 156" from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional print for Cross Cut Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co., dating back to the 1880s. It feels like a glimpse into another world, with its elegant woman and somewhat theatrical backdrop. How do you interpret this work, considering its origins? Curator: This isn't just an image; it's a window into the commodification of femininity and celebrity in the late 19th century. These trade cards, seemingly innocuous, were powerful tools shaping societal ideals of beauty and performance. Notice how the woman’s posture and attire emphasize a particular kind of beauty – a beauty deeply entwined with societal expectations of women. What does it mean when a woman’s image is used to sell tobacco? Editor: It feels… exploitative, almost? Like her identity is being used to promote something entirely unrelated to her. Curator: Exactly. And consider the larger context: the rise of consumer culture, the limited opportunities for women in the public sphere, and the pervasive objectification of women’s bodies. These cards were circulated widely, embedding these ideals into the collective consciousness. Can we see this as an early form of advertising manipulating desires, anxieties, even power dynamics? Editor: It’s interesting how something seemingly so simple can reveal so much about the society that created it. I’ll definitely look at these types of images differently now. Curator: Indeed. By interrogating these objects, we begin to question not just art history, but the very fabric of our cultural narratives and how power operates within them.