Card Number 96, Miss Greene, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 96, Miss Greene, was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes between 1870 and 1920. It’s one of many in a series of cards featuring actors and actresses, revealing much about the intertwined worlds of commerce and entertainment during this period. The sepia-toned image presents Miss Greene in what appears to be a daring bathing costume, a signifier of changing social mores at a time when ideas about the female body and its representation were being negotiated. The cigarette card, designed for mass distribution, speaks to the rise of consumer culture and the use of celebrity endorsements to promote products. We see here an early instance of the commodification of fame. To understand this image fully, we need to consider the history of advertising and the growing popularity of tobacco, as well as changing attitudes towards women and the performing arts. Research into popular culture, advertising history, and gender studies could reveal more about this seemingly simple image. Ultimately, this artwork offers a window into the social and cultural dynamics of its time.