Marie Jansen in costume of French maid in 1800, from the set Actors and Actresses, First Series (N70) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1889

Editor: This is "Marie Jansen in costume of French maid in 1800," a print from around 1888 or 1889 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It’s made with colored pencil, and it’s a charming little portrait. It's hard to miss how this print comes from a set of cigarette cards; I wonder, what kind of impact do you think the medium had on the art itself? Curator: Well, consider the purpose. These cards were essentially promotional materials, designed to be collected and traded. The image of Marie Jansen isn't just a portrait; it’s a commodity, bundled with a product – tobacco – for mass consumption. What does the print’s origin as part of a manufactured set of collectibles suggest to you? Editor: It definitely blurs the lines between art and advertising. It was meant to be circulated and almost, well, used up, as part of the act of enjoying tobacco. Curator: Exactly. The “high art” of portraiture is thus democratized and dispersed into everyday life through cheap print production and tobacco consumption. Look at the drawing, colored pencil. Consider that the artist probably aimed for accuracy to get a lifelike impression in mass-produced objects. The aim for verisimilitude made for wider consumption and increased sales of cigarettes. Is Jansen represented respectfully here, do you think? Editor: I'm not sure if "respect" is really the point. It was a commercial transaction, plain and simple. She's essentially an image to sell cigarettes. What do you make of the subject, a celebrity in a "genre" costume? Curator: She's an actress presented in a consumable format for advertising purposes, yes, but does her work also add a bit of respect to the image on this trading card? Editor: That's a fair point. So, instead of thinking about a painting hanging in a gallery, we are looking at a trade card designed to circulate in pockets and promote sales. Thinking of it in terms of its means of production really opens it up. Curator: Absolutely. Considering its material existence and context really underscores how art functions within systems of labor and consumption.