Actress from the Old Judge series (N167) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886

This small card, printed by Goodwin & Company, was once tucked inside a pack of Old Judge Cigarettes, somewhere around the turn of the 20th century. Printed using photogravure, a process that translates a photograph into an etched copper plate, the image has a soft, sepia-toned quality. The texture and tone, achieved through a laborious chemical process, lends a sense of elegance to a mass-produced product. The card stock itself is thin and unassuming, a stark contrast to the glamorous image of the actress it displays. This juxtaposition highlights the complex relationship between industry, celebrity, and consumerism. The actress, a carefully crafted persona, becomes a vehicle for selling cigarettes. The photogravure, a relatively new technology at the time, democratized image-making, allowing for the mass production of cards like this. It's a curious convergence of handcraft, in the meticulous preparation of the plate, and industrial production. These cards offer a glimpse into a society grappling with new forms of media, leisure, and the allure of celebrity, blurring the lines between fine art, advertising, and everyday life.