Miss Messine, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is a carte-de-visite, or visiting card, produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., a cigarette manufacturer, sometime in the late 19th century. It depicts Miss Messine, an actress of the time, as part of a series of actresses used to promote the company's cigarettes. These cards existed within a culture of celebrity and consumerism. Kimball and other companies understood the power of associating their products with popular figures, thus leveraging the cult of celebrity to boost sales. The actresses, in turn, gained exposure and potential fame through this mass-produced imagery. It's a symbiotic relationship that reflects the growing commercialization of culture at the time. Understanding the social and economic context of this card requires exploring archives of popular culture, theater history, and advertising. The Library of Congress and other institutions hold collections of these cards and related materials. The meaning of art is always contingent on such cultural and institutional contexts.