Card Number 145, Miss Johnson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is "Card Number 145, Miss Johnson," dating back to the 1880s, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It’s an albumen print, and it strikes me as such an odd object—a portrait intended as cigarette packaging. What's your take on this work? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this photograph as both a promotional tool and a piece of social history. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, yes. But think about the larger cultural context. How did the rising popularity of cigarettes intersect with the burgeoning entertainment industry and the commodification of celebrity? This was all happening around the same time. Editor: So, Miss Johnson, an actress perhaps, is literally packaged alongside a vice. It seems so exploitative. Curator: Absolutely. This card participated in a system that objectified women, transforming them into collectible commodities, readily available for consumption along with tobacco. Consider the gaze—who is looking at this image, and what desires are being catered to? What is she meant to be ‘selling’ with her image, besides cigarettes? Editor: I never thought about it that way. It feels different than other celebrity portraits I've seen. Curator: These images, because of their wide distribution and disposable nature, arguably played a significant role in shaping popular perceptions of beauty, success, and fame, long before the age of cinema and mass media. Editor: So it's less about Miss Johnson as an individual and more about what she represents as an image in that era. Curator: Precisely. Understanding its place in the cultural landscape helps us see beyond just a pretty face and engage with the power dynamics at play. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about! Thanks for sharing that insightful perspective. Curator: It's been a pleasure. Considering art’s interaction within social contexts always gives a new lens to these items.