Mlle. Tucshi, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This small card, featuring Mlle. Tucshi of Paris, was made by Goodwin & Company as part of a series of collectible cards for Old Judge Cigarettes. It’s a photograph, reproduced on a small scale to fit within a paper frame, with the brand’s name boldly printed below. The photographic process allowed for mass production, making images accessible to a wider audience than ever before. These cards were essentially advertisements, using the allure of actresses to sell cigarettes, reflecting the rise of consumer culture at the time. Consider the labor involved, from the photographers and printers to the factory workers who assembled the cigarettes and packaging. These cards, trivial as they may seem, are deeply implicated in larger systems of labor, politics and consumption. So next time you light up, think about the chain of production that brings an object to you, and the human effort embedded in even the smallest of things.