Mlle. Shery, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This small albumen print of Mlle. Shery was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of a series of actresses used to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The photograph is mounted on card stock, a process that streamlined mass production. The image is a product of a rapidly industrializing world, where photography became increasingly accessible. This was due to advancements in chemistry and manufacturing, and was far removed from traditional fine arts. Photography’s reproducible nature made it an ideal medium for advertising, blurring the lines between art and commerce. The choice of an actress as the subject speaks to the growing popularity of entertainment culture and the cult of celebrity. The mass production of these cards also speaks to the rise of consumer culture, in which images were circulated widely to promote not just products but also lifestyles. It is important to remember that such objects were made possible by the labor of countless individuals, from factory workers to the performers themselves. They all came together to shape our visual landscape.