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

This small photograph of Annie Martell was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards, produced in the United States, were part of a larger cultural phenomenon of collecting and trading cards featuring actors, athletes, and other celebrities. The mass production and distribution of these images reflect the rise of consumer culture and the increasing importance of advertising in the late 19th century. The images created were circulated, and shaped, notions of beauty, fame, and social status. The actress, in this context, becomes a commodity, her image used to sell cigarettes, collapsing the boundaries between art, entertainment, and commerce. By studying sources like trade publications, company records, and even the cigarette cards themselves, we can uncover the complex social and economic forces that shaped the production and consumption of these images. Art history, therefore, helps us understand the broader cultural landscape in which art is created, circulated, and consumed.