Card Number 58, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is Card Number 58, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series produced by Duke Sons & Co. in the 1880s as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. It’s a sepia-toned photographic print of a performer. I’m struck by how it blends a formal portrait with commercial advertising. How should we understand the artistic purpose of pieces like this? Curator: This card reflects a fascinating moment in the intersection of popular culture, celebrity, and consumerism. While it functions as an advertisement, we also have to consider how it participated in constructing and disseminating images of ideal womanhood at the time. Think about Lillian Russell herself – a famous actress whose image was carefully curated. Editor: So, it’s about selling more than just cigarettes? Curator: Precisely! These cards distributed through mass production, contributed to the cult of celebrity. And who was collecting these images? Who were they designed to appeal to, and what does that say about the society that consumed them? The theatrical backdrop is obviously artificial, but it helps construct a narrative. Editor: It is really interesting how a simple cigarette card holds all that complexity! The idea of mass-produced celebrity really stands out now. Curator: Exactly, consider the politics of imagery at play: the idealization of beauty, the commercialization of entertainment, and how the working class accumulated this kind of “art.” It reveals a great deal about the cultural values of the time. Did women aspire to this look? Were the men the ones collecting? Editor: I didn't expect a cigarette card to offer such insight! It makes you wonder about the broader impact of this sort of mass media. Curator: Indeed. It illustrates how seemingly simple objects can reflect and shape profound social and cultural trends. Looking closely unveils entire worlds of meaning.