Card Number 569, Hattie Dolaro, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: So, this is "Card Number 569, Hattie Dolaro," a portrait from the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co., made with albumen print photography. It's an advertisement, which feels a little strange for something hanging in a museum. What can you tell us about its context? Curator: The albumen print, with its sepia tones and delicate detail, captures a specific moment in history. Consider how images of actresses were circulated: they weren't just portraits but vessels of aspiration, symbols of beauty and success readily consumed. Editor: Consumed in what way? Curator: These images tap into deep-seated desires, linking smoking, an increasingly popular habit at the time, with an idealized vision of femininity. What message do you think the manufacturers were hoping to send to consumers? Editor: That smoking Duke cigarettes can make you as alluring or successful as Hattie Dolaro, maybe? Or perhaps that these cigarettes are refined enough for sophisticated people who follow theater and culture? Curator: Exactly. The image carries social information; Dolaro’s dress, her pose, even the floral arrangements convey social standing and ideals. How does the card itself, being small and easily carried, become part of a broader cultural narrative? Editor: Well, the size makes it shareable, like a meme of the time, and the fact that it’s included with the cigarettes makes you hold on to the advertisement. I hadn’t considered how complex even a small advertising card can be. Curator: Visual symbols persist across time, adapting to new contexts while carrying echoes of their original meanings. Understanding these layered meanings unlocks fascinating insights into cultural memory.