Actress in profile wearing green velvet hat, from Stars of the Stage, Third Series (N131) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891 - 1892

This is a promotional card made around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Honest Long Cut Tobacco. It's made of paper, printed with chromolithography, a technique that allowed the rapid production of colourful images. Note the actress’s green velvet hat and fur stole. The printing technology captures the textures of these materials; the soft nap of velvet, the dense pile of fur. It’s important to remember that the image, however charming, was conceived within the industrial system. Chromolithography enabled mass production, transforming images into commercial tools. Consider the amount of labour involved in the overall process. From the harvesting and curing of tobacco, to the designers and machine operators, the printers, and the distributors. This card speaks to the way capitalism permeates culture, blurring the lines between art, advertising, and everyday life. Ultimately, this card makes us think about how modes of production shape not only what we see, but how we value it.