Card Number 228, Ida Costella, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 228, Ida Costella, from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co., dating from the late 19th century. These cards, distributed with cigarette packs, reflect the commodification of celebrity and the burgeoning entertainment industry of the time. Ida Costella, an actress of likely modest fame, is depicted here in costume, striking a pose that blends theatricality with the everyday. How might Costella have felt being captured and consumed in this way? The image is a window into the cultural values of the era, where actors and actresses were both admired and objectified, their identities intertwined with the products they endorsed. While seemingly innocuous, these cards reveal the intricate connections between commerce, identity, and representation. They invite us to consider the power dynamics at play in the creation and dissemination of images, and to reflect on the lasting impact of these representations on our understanding of gender, fame, and the self.