Card Number 261, Hattie Starr, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card, number 261 from the Actors and Actresses series, was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. The sepia-toned photograph captures Hattie Starr in what appears to be a carefully constructed pose against a theatrical backdrop. Notice the composition: Starr is centrally located, lending the image a sense of balance and formality. However, this symmetry is playfully disrupted by Starr's stance and demeanor. The gaze directed at the camera challenges the viewer with a self-assuredness that complicates the traditional dynamics of portraiture. The choice of sepia tones flattens the depth of the image and blurs the lines between surface and depth. This effect draws attention to the structural elements and invites a reading of the image as both a representation of an individual and a manufactured commodity. In this way, the card challenges fixed meanings and invites ongoing interpretation.