Mlle. Jarian, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This photographic print of Mlle. Jarian comes from a series of actresses produced by the cigarette company Wm. S. Kimball & Co. What are the politics of such imagery? In the late 19th century, the rise of consumer culture saw the proliferation of images in advertising. Tobacco companies were among the first to use celebrity endorsements and collectible cards to promote their products. This card, like others in the series, presents a vision of feminine allure that was both aspirational and commodified, a sign of the times in the United States. These images were carefully staged, often with elaborate costumes and backdrops. But, far from straightforward documentation, these images offer an insight into the social and cultural values of the time. To understand this image better, we might turn to archives of advertising history, theatre ephemera, and social histories of consumer culture. Only with the use of such research resources can we understand the contingent meaning of this and similar works.