Lillian Lewis, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This photograph of Lillian Lewis was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes in the late 19th century. These cards were among the first mass-produced color images, and they offer a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural values of the Gilded Age. During this era, industrialization and urbanization led to new forms of mass culture, including the rise of celebrity. Actresses like Lillian Lewis were among the first celebrities, and their images were widely circulated in newspapers, magazines, and promotional items like this card. This was also a period of growing consumerism, and tobacco companies like Kinney Brothers were eager to use celebrity endorsements to promote their products. Historians can use sources like theater programs, newspapers, and company records to better understand the relationship between celebrity culture, consumerism, and the changing role of women in American society during this period. Analyzing these objects helps us to understand art's role as a reflection of its time.