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

This is a promotional image of Vesta Victoria, the stage name of Matilda Alice Powles, made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of an advertising series for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. In an era of burgeoning mass media, the commodification of actresses like Victoria blurred the lines between performance, identity, and consumer culture. These images, distributed with tobacco products, were integral to popularizing actresses but also served to sexualize and objectify them. The images were aimed at male consumers. Victoria’s success as a music hall performer was a testament to her ability to connect with diverse audiences through song and humor. Her characters often explored the complexities of working-class life and gender roles in a rapidly changing society. She once said of her work, "It's the woman I feel for and try to depict." This portrait reflects both the constraints and opportunities afforded to women performers at the turn of the century. It invites us to consider how identity is constructed, consumed, and negotiated within the realms of entertainment and commerce.