Card Number 124, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: What a captivating find. This is Card Number 124 from the Actors and Actresses series, one of the N145-1 sets produced in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as promotional material for Cross Cut Cigarettes. Editor: My first thought is how theatrical this image is. The sepia tones lend a dramatic air, and the figure's costume, that striking jacket… there's something wonderfully performative about the whole thing. Curator: Precisely. Let’s consider the materials at play here. The card itself, mass-produced, likely through a combination of photography and printmaking techniques, signals the rise of industrial processes influencing visual culture. It shows a fascinating tension between art and consumerism. Editor: Absolutely, and examining that visually, look at the dynamic tension achieved with composition. The actress strikes a pose that seems almost deliberately staged, drawing our eye immediately to her face. It’s all very balanced, with the backdrop kept intentionally vague, it functions almost as a semiotic sign. Curator: The choice to feature actors and actresses speaks volumes. The booming entertainment industry and emerging celebrity culture helped drive consumption of products like cigarettes. By associating their brand with the glamour of the stage, Duke hoped to entice new customers. Think of it in the context of labor: the labor of acting being used to fuel the labor of tobacco production. Editor: The jacket! We must circle back and talk about its sartorial signs, from its epaulettes, to the form fitting shape, or the bright highlights—it reads as a bold, empowered look that transcends the everyday to achieve the level of character. And this effect surely carried appeal for cigarette consumers who longed for a hint of stardom in their lives. Curator: A spot-on point. This little card offers insights into art, performance, and the industrial processes interwoven into the fabric of late 19th century consumer culture. It demonstrates how even the smallest of artifacts can reveal volumes about power, persuasion, and labor dynamics in society. Editor: A brilliant analysis. After our discussion I can safely state, that, as viewers, the image compels us to think about celebrity then, which, of course, invites a look at celebrity today and how little, structurally, it has evolved since then.