Actress wearing blanket and standing on fur rug, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

This vibrant lithograph, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co., was created as a promotional item for Honest Long Cut Tobacco. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, often featured actresses, athletes, and other public figures. Here, we see an actress standing on a fur rug, wrapped in a colorful blanket. Consider what it meant for women to be represented in commercial contexts, how their images were used to sell products, and how this reflects the increasing visibility and participation of women in public life during this era. The theatrical setting—the fur rug and the blanket worn as a shawl—suggests both luxury and performance. How might the actress's gaze and posture engage with or subvert the male gaze inherent in such advertising? The card provides a window into the evolving roles of women in society. It acknowledges their growing presence in the public sphere, while simultaneously framing them within the context of consumer culture and popular entertainment.