Card Number 241, Miss Primrose, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 241, Miss Primrose, was created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. This card is from the Actors and Actresses series. These cards offer a glimpse into the cultural landscape of the late 19th century, where the commodification of femininity and celebrity culture were on the rise. The woman depicted, Miss Primrose, embodies the performative nature of identity, as both an actress and a figure used to sell cigarettes. She is posed confidently, challenging the strictures of Victorian society through the display of her body. The card raises questions about the male gaze, the role of women in advertising, and the dynamics of power at play. The image serves as a reminder of the complex and often contradictory ways in which women were represented and perceived in the late 19th century. The seemingly innocuous advertisement reflects and shapes societal attitudes towards gender, class, and desire.