Card Number 76, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This 1880s "trade card" features a portrait of American actress Lillian Russell, a popular star of the late 19th century. The card was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their "Cross Cut Cigarettes." The image showcases Russell in a relaxed pose, leaning back in a chair with a fan in her lap. The card, measuring only 2 5/8 × 1 7/16 inches, exemplifies the ephemerality of early cigarette advertising and the prominent use of celebrity endorsements in the late 19th century. The card is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.