Card Number 591, Varonia, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: Here we have "Card Number 591, Varonia," from the Actors and Actresses series, dating back to the 1880s. It was produced by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes, a peculiar combination, right? I’m struck by how soft and romantic the whole thing feels, despite being an advertisement. What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: Ah, Varonia! It whispers secrets of a bygone era, doesn't it? Beyond the blatant commercial purpose – and isn't it fascinating how products were pitched back then? – I see a longing for beauty, a staged dream. The sepia tones imbue it with a kind of wistful elegance, and her gaze... almost pleading. Editor: Pleading? I hadn't considered that. Curator: Consider the context. Actresses were, in many ways, commodities themselves, their images endlessly reproduced and consumed. Is her gaze an invitation, or a silent appeal to be seen as more than just a pretty face advertising tobacco? Does that resonate with you? Editor: That’s… a bit melancholic, really. I suppose I saw it as more straightforward – an idealized image designed to sell something. Curator: And it is that, of course! But art, even commercial art, often layers meanings. It makes me wonder about Varonia herself – did she enjoy the puff of smoke fame offered, or did it feel like being perpetually onstage, a character defined by others? It's like holding a fragment of her dream, slightly faded, heavy with untold stories. Editor: I’ll never look at cigarette cards the same way again. It really makes you consider the human element behind the advertisement. Curator: Precisely. Each image, each card, is a tiny portal to another time, inviting us to ponder, to imagine, and ultimately, to connect with those who came before.