John Drew in Italian Costume of 1600, from the set Actors and Actresses, Second Series (N71) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888 - 1890

This small chromolithograph was created around 1888-1890 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of a series of collectible cards included in Duke brand cigarettes. This card features a portrait of John Drew, a popular late 19th-century actor, dressed in what the card describes as Italian costume of 1600. But let’s think for a moment about the performance of identity. In this image, Drew isn't just wearing a costume; he is embodying a character, and by extension, a certain idea of European sophistication and historical romance. During this period, the commodification of celebrity was on the rise, and figures like Drew were both admired and consumed as images. The emotional connection between the audience and these actors was carefully constructed and marketed, much like the cigarettes themselves. The card, therefore, becomes more than just a portrait; it's a cultural artifact reflecting the intertwined dynamics of celebrity, consumerism, and the construction of historical and national identities in late 19th-century America.