Miss Livingston, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This is a promotional card of Miss Livingston from the Actors and Actresses series for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes made by Goodwin & Company in the late 19th century. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing strategy, revealing much about the era's social and cultural values. The late 1800s in the United States was a time of burgeoning consumer culture. Actresses, like Miss Livingston, were among the first celebrities, and were used to promote consumption. The display of her image associates the cigarettes with glamour and allure. We might ask: How did the rise of mass media and advertising shape public perceptions of beauty and success? Was it progressive to show actresses as role models, or did it reinforce commodification? To fully understand the image, we need to research the history of advertising, the role of women in the late 19th century, and the popularity of celebrity culture. Art history helps us consider the meaning of art as contingent on its social and institutional context.