Card Number 635, Miss Blake, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 635, Miss Blake, is a promotional image made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to sell Cross Cut Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer a glimpse into the performance of identity and the commodification of celebrity. Here, Miss Blake, an actress, is styled in what appears to be a military costume, perhaps for a theatrical role. These cards were designed to be collected and traded, contributing to the cult of celebrity that was emerging at the time. The figure of Miss Blake, frozen in this pose, raises questions about the construction of femininity and its relationship to spectacle and consumption. The image invites us to consider the ways in which individuals become products, their identities molded and marketed for mass consumption. This tension between individual expression and commercial imperative is palpable.