Card Number 100, Wilson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is "Card Number 100, Wilson" from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The card's sepia tone gives it a nostalgic quality. Note how the composition is carefully arranged to draw your eye to the figure of the actress Wilson. The central placement against a blurred background isolates and elevates her. Duke uses the visual language of portraiture, yet subverts it through the overtly theatrical presentation of the actress. The curves of her feathered headpiece and costume create a dynamic contrast with the rectangular frame of the card itself. The text, integrated into the composition, disrupts the traditional portrait format, turning it into an advertisement. Semiotically, the image functions on multiple levels. The actress, a signifier of entertainment and allure, is directly linked to the product. This interplay challenges the viewer to decode the layered meanings embedded within the card's compact design, reflecting the burgeoning consumer culture of the time.