Florence Girard, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Goodwin & Company of New York created this card for Old Judge Cigarettes as part of their Actors and Actresses series. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of consumer culture, celebrity, and the burgeoning advertising industry. The image of Florence Girard, a stage actress, is carefully constructed to appeal to consumers. Note the elegant hairstyle and refined profile, visual cues that associate her with sophistication and taste. In a time before mass media, these cards offered ordinary people access to images of well-known figures. By associating their product with popular celebrities, tobacco companies sought to elevate their brand and boost sales. These cards also reflect the social and cultural values of the time, particularly ideas about beauty, gender, and class. To better understand this, we can delve into archives of advertising history, theatre programs, and social commentaries. This reveals much about the mutual relationship between commercial imagery and the social world.