Card Number 172, Miss Jerome, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is card number 172, Miss Jerome, from the Actors and Actresses series, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. Notice how the sepia tones and soft focus lend the image a romantic, almost dreamlike quality. The composition is simple: Miss Jerome's profile is set against a muted backdrop, drawing our eye to the curve of her neck, the delicate line of her nose, and the elaborate coiffure. The advertising text is placed carefully at the top of the card, a visual signifier that blends seamlessly into the overall design without overwhelming the portrait. Consider the semiotic implications here. The actress, a cultural symbol of beauty and performance, is being used to sell cigarettes. The act of smoking becomes associated with sophistication, glamour, and the allure of the stage. It's a clever merging of two distinct cultural codes: entertainment and consumption. This small card exemplifies how commercial art appropriates and manipulates signs and symbols to create desire and shape consumer behavior. The very structure of the image encourages us to interpret and participate in this cultural exchange.