Blanche Rosevelt in Egyptian Costume, from the set Actors and Actresses, Second Series (N71) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1890

This chromolithograph of Blanche Roosevelt in Egyptian Costume was produced by W. Duke Sons & Co. in the late nineteenth century as part of a series of collectible cards included in cigarette packs. These cards, featuring actresses in various exoticized costumes, speak volumes about the cultural dynamics of the time. In an era marked by growing American imperial ambitions, the representation of foreign cultures often served to reinforce a sense of Western superiority. Here, Roosevelt's ‘Egyptian’ garb, while superficially exotic, is filtered through a Western lens, catering to prevailing orientalist fantasies. The card served as a commercial tool, enticing consumers with the allure of distant lands and romanticized notions of otherness. To fully understand this image, a social historian might look to sources such as advertisements, popular literature, and colonial records to shed light on the politics of representation and the construction of cultural identities. By examining such sources, we can understand how even seemingly innocuous images played a role in shaping broader attitudes toward race, empire, and cultural difference.