Laura Burt, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This small portrait of Laura Burt is from the Actresses series, created by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The sepia tone flattens the image and gives a nostalgic feel to the composition. Burt is captured in a three-quarter pose, set against a painted backdrop of foliage. The composition is neatly divided, with Laura Burt taking center stage. Observe how her costume and pose subtly challenge the late 19th-century notions of femininity. While the setting and her dress adhere to conventional aesthetics, her direct gaze and the playful gesture of a finger to her lips introduce an element of self-awareness. This tension between adherence to and subversion of convention is a crucial part of this artwork. It suggests a dialogue between public expectation and individual expression, capturing a moment of transition. What might this small card reveal about shifting cultural values? This is a question that remains open for us to contemplate.