Card Number 369, Irene Duclos, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small card, featuring actress Irene Duclos, was created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the 20th century as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. It’s made through the industrial process of photolithography, a method that allowed for mass production and distribution. The card's sepia tone gives it an antique feel, yet it was a cutting-edge technology at the time. Consider how this image circulated: tucked into packs of cigarettes, becoming a collectible in an era defined by the rise of consumer culture. The company cleverly used Duclos's image to associate glamour with their product, turning her into a commodity. The card is a material artifact of a time when advertising was becoming increasingly sophisticated, and celebrity culture was beginning to take hold. It challenges our traditional notions of art, inviting us to consider the intersections of commerce, culture, and celebrity.