Card Number 711, Laura Burt, 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 711, Laura Burt, a photograph from the Actors and Actresses series dating back to the 1880s. It was issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum's collection. It's a striking portrait, almost theatrical. What kind of statement do you think this photograph is making? Curator: This image, seemingly a simple portrait, exists within a complex matrix of 19th-century societal norms. Laura Burt, the actress, is both the subject and the object, her image commodified to sell cigarettes. It highlights the intersection of celebrity culture, advertising, and the male gaze. Consider the power dynamics at play: Who is consuming this image and what are they being sold, beyond just cigarettes? Editor: So, it's not just about selling cigarettes; it's also about selling a particular idea of femininity? Curator: Precisely. This card participated in circulating and solidifying a limited, constructed representation of women—particularly actresses—as objects of desire and consumption. How does situating this card within the context of broader, often exploitative, entertainment industry practices shift our understanding? And how might a feminist critique reframe our view of Laura Burt, not as a passive figure but as an active participant navigating those very power structures? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn’t considered the active role someone like Laura Burt might have had, despite the limitations of her time. I was mostly reacting to its aesthetic qualities without considering the societal implications. Curator: That's a great start. And that’s why we delve deeper—to understand the image's role in shaping social norms and reinforcing existing power imbalances. Editor: I'll definitely look at these types of images differently from now on. Thanks!