Miss Eunice Vance, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This is a promotional card of Miss Eunice Vance, from the Actresses series, made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The sepia tones give the image a nostalgic feel, focusing attention on form and composition. Vance is seated, leg crossed, holding a riding crop and hat, exuding confidence. Structurally, the image presents a study in contrasts. The ornate, high-backed chair provides a rigid frame, sharply juxtaposed with Vance's relaxed posture. The curve of her hat and the diagonal line of the riding crop cut through the formality, destabilizing expectations of the era. The composition plays with semiotic codes, offering a complex representation of femininity. The choice of sepia, along with the texture of the card itself, mutes the details, yet reinforces a sense of historical distance. This effect draws attention to the interplay between representation and reality, questioning the fixed categories of identity. Ultimately, the card functions as a sign, encoding both the image of a woman and the cultural values of its time.