Marie Halton, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 1, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photograph of Marie Halton comes from a series of actress portraits, produced around the 1880s by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to promote their Sporting Extra Cigarettes. These cards were essentially advertisements, meant to be collected and traded. The commercial logic behind them speaks to the increasing visibility and popularity of actresses at the time. Halton's image, with its emphasis on beauty and elegance, reflects the cultural values and expectations placed on women in the late 19th century. The lace and jewelry indicate a degree of affluence, while the slightly idealized pose constructs a particular image of femininity for public consumption. The distribution of these cards also highlights the growing consumer culture of the period, where images and commodities were intertwined. Understanding this image requires us to consider the social and economic conditions that shaped its production and reception. Resources such as theatre programs, company records, and sociological studies of the period can help us better understand the cultural significance of images like these and their role in shaping social norms.