Miss Lang, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

Curator: Ah, yes, this card featuring Miss Lang. It comes from a series of actor and actress portraits, part of a promotional campaign by Duke Sons & Co. for their Duke Cigarettes around 1890 to 1895. The photograph itself is a rather classic pose. Editor: She looks almost like a memory, doesn't she? That gentle sepia tone lends a dreamlike quality to her figure. There's something so quaint about the elaborate details in her dress—I can almost smell the faint aroma of old perfume emanating from the photograph. Curator: Right, and consider the economics of its creation. W. Duke, Sons & Co., recognizing the rising popularity of mass-produced photographic images, used them to brand their cigarettes, inserting these cards into the packs. It bridges consumerism, photography, celebrity culture and tobacco all in one. Editor: It is interesting. It's also an artifact imbued with a sense of longing. Like gazing into the past, attempting to grasp at a fleeting moment. And there’s something melancholic about that ornate hat; its almost wilted form contrasts the vitality you’d expect from an actress. I feel drawn to the performative aspect and how that overlaps the staged photography. Curator: Certainly, that performative element underscores the nature of celebrity at the turn of the century and Japonisme too. Consider her theatrical costume juxtaposed against a very standardized method of commercial advertising. The convergence of these seemingly disparate spheres offers insights into shifting cultural values and economic strategies of the period. Editor: That's quite true. Still, when I look at this, the practical and artistic fuse. It’s impossible to detach the tangible image of the woman from its intention as a cigarette advert, and vice versa. It's a fascinating blend, almost like capturing a whisper of the past amidst the hubbub of daily commerce. Curator: Precisely. And the tactile nature of the card itself invites us to reflect on our own interaction with such imagery – both then and now in the age of Instagram! Editor: What a perfect observation to chew on as we step away! Thank you, it has changed how I looked at her completely!