Card Number 181, Ruth Stetson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small trade card, created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., features a sepia-toned image of actress Ruth Stetson. The composition is striking; Stetson poses with legs parted, balanced between a step and the floor, one hand confidently on her hip, the other holding a riding crop. The sepia tone flattens the image, emphasizing form over color. Stetson's theatrical costume and the backdrop suggest a stage setting, blurring the lines between her professional persona and the advertisement itself. Semiotically, the image operates on multiple levels. Stetson, as a recognizable figure, lends her celebrity to the promotion of ‘Cross Cut Cigarettes,’ while her gender-bending attire adds an element of transgression, challenging conventional gender roles. The card functions as both a commercial tool and a cultural artifact reflecting shifting attitudes toward celebrity, gender, and consumerism in the late 19th century. Through its carefully constructed image, the card sought to associate the allure of the stage with the product it advertised.