Card Number 550, Mlle. Elois, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Curator: This striking print, dating from the 1880s, comes from a series produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as promotional material for their Duke Cigarettes. Titled "Card Number 550, Mlle. Elois, from the Actors and Actresses series", it now resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My first impression is sheer nostalgic charm! It feels like stepping back in time, even with the slightly faded tones of aged paper. And her costume – a confection of fabric and whimsy – gives off the enchanting allure of the theatre. Curator: Exactly! It is part of a series portraying actresses and performers of the era. Considering the context of cigarette card collecting, this piece provides insight into the commodification of celebrity and femininity in the late 19th century. It invites us to analyze power dynamics, consumerism, and gender representation within the entertainment industry. Editor: Right, I see her as a symbol too, beyond just an actress: maybe freedom of expression or the excitement of the stage itself. Look at how light catches the folds of her skirt; it suggests movement, vivacity! It sparks the feeling that you might even smell the cigarette smoke! Ha! It's funny how commercial art can hold such power. Curator: Precisely. Her costume design, which might feel “over the top” from a contemporary point of view, reflects the theatrics of 19th-century stage performances, but beyond that, its connection to Duke Cigarettes speaks volumes. Advertising images functioned to cultivate an image, one that associated glamour and cultural capital to smoking cigarettes. Editor: It makes you wonder about Mlle. Elois herself, her real story outside this small portrait. Was this image empowering or restrictive for her? I bet these things didn't even cross her mind! Curator: That is an essential question to ask! Understanding that these cards played into a broader marketing strategy, using Mlle. Elois as an emblem, invites discussions on cultural capital, visibility, and artistic representation. Editor: I like how this seemingly simple image sparks so much. It goes way beyond just being a cigarette card now. Curator: Indeed. Examining "Card Number 550, Mlle. Elois," within our present, it encourages a wider engagement with history. Editor: Yeah, from cigarette ads to gender, race and performance: what's not to like?!