Frankie Raymond, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

Curator: Well, this portrait evokes such a specific era. There's a gentleness to the image that's really striking. Editor: Yes, this photographic print titled "Frankie Raymond, from the Actresses series" was issued around 1890 by the Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These were trade cards, meant to be collected. Think about that for a moment—using actresses to promote tobacco! Curator: Tobacco companies understood that imagery sold the product. And it’s clever how these small portraits, essentially advertisements, blurred the lines between art, commercialism, and popular culture. Editor: Absolutely. Let’s consider the card itself. Its small size signals mass production. What was the process? Was this photo mechanically reproduced or individually printed? These cards offered access to celebrity—how different is that from what we see in tabloids today? The material production democratized this form of art. Curator: The gaze is directed slightly upwards and away, a dreamlike quality… Who was Frankie Raymond and how was she regarded during this time period? How does this representation both empower her and reduce her to an image for consumption? Editor: Raymond, as an actress, would have likely understood this exchange. In this way, perhaps her knowing glance is directed at us—complicating the image. But it still points to an institutional reality for actresses in the 19th century: promotion and publicity was crucial to advancement and visibility. Curator: These trading cards and the mass production of them shaped the perception and access to these actresses during that period. Also the artistry lies within this object; the quality and design of this humble paper product. Editor: So, this piece invites us to think about the celebrity, the cigarette, and even the rise of consumer culture in general. Everything here connects to labor, material, and consumption. Curator: This examination demonstrates the intersections between advertising and art history—something that may be under appreciated even today. Editor: Indeed, an investigation of its cultural, commercial and political aspects help unlock a deeper understanding of a popular period of American history.