Card Number 302, Bessie Royal, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 302, Bessie Royal, a promotional advertisement made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. for Cross Cut Cigarettes. These cards were part of a larger cultural phenomenon in the late 19th century, where images of actresses, athletes, and other public figures were used to market consumer products. In this image, Bessie Royal is depicted in a bathing costume which, while modest by today's standards, offered a glimpse of the changing social norms around female representation and visibility. Consider the complex layers of identity and representation at play: Bessie Royal, the actress, and W. Duke, Sons & Co., a company that profited from tobacco, both participating in the construction of an image designed to appeal to consumers. It reflects not only a desire for entertainment but also the rise of consumer culture and the ways in which identity could be commodified and sold. The card invites us to reflect on the historical context in which it was produced and the values and beliefs it reflects.