Actress wearing feathered headpiece, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

This promotional card was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around 1888, using chromolithography – a process involving the layering of colors from multiple stones or plates. The card is made of paper, a cheap and mass-produced material, far from the traditional fine art materials, and perfectly suited for industrial production. This allowed Duke to cheaply produce these cards for mass distribution. Chromolithography allowed the creation of colourful and eye-catching images, which would have made this card appealing. The card depicts an actress in costume, complete with a feathered headpiece, a subject calculated to appeal to consumers. The intense ornamentation and the actress herself, are captured through a mechanized process, collapsing any hierarchy between the image, the entertainer, and the product. These cards were given away with tobacco purchases, incentivizing brand loyalty, and advertising the 'honest' virtues of the product. They are thus deeply embedded in the culture of consumption of the late 19th century. Examining these cards allows us to question traditional categories of art, and consider the social and economic context in which images are made and circulated.