Margaret MacDonald, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This black and white photograph, created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1890, features a portrait of actress Margaret MacDonald. The image is a trading card from a series issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This particular card was likely intended to be collected by the company’s target audience, male smokers of the time. The image captures MacDonald in a fashionable gown, her hands delicately held in front of her and her face framed by a wide-brimmed hat. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City houses the card, a small piece of ephemera that offers a glimpse into popular culture of the late 19th century.