Marie Jansen, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card, featuring actress Marie Jansen, was made sometime between 1870 and 1920 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Duke Cigarettes. It's printed on a thin card stock, probably using a lithographic process. What’s really fascinating here is that mass production meets celebrity culture. These cards were churned out in huge quantities, a direct result of industrialization and the rise of consumerism. The image of Marie Jansen, a public figure, becomes a collectible, a tiny piece of fame packaged with a product. The card’s small size and the very fact that it was included with cigarettes speaks to its disposable nature. It’s a far cry from a carefully crafted portrait. Yet, it reflects a democratization of imagery, albeit one driven by commercial interests. It challenges the traditional hierarchy between art and ephemera.