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

This small card featuring Miss Vernon was mass-produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Company, purveyors of cigarettes. Printed on card stock, it is an example of early photographic printing technology, specifically the albumen print. The image has a sepia tone, created by the chemical process used. Each one of these cards would have been identical, churned out in vast quantities and inserted into cigarette packs as a collectable item. Consider the labor involved, from the growing of the tobacco, the manufacturing of the cigarettes, and the photographic printing. It speaks volumes about industrial capitalism and the commodification of everything, even celebrity and beauty. This little card embodies the dynamic between art, commerce, and consumption in the late 19th century. The image of Miss Vernon, presented as a desirable object, helped to sell cigarettes, blurring the lines between artistic expression and commercial promotion, showing how even art can become a commodity.