Card Number 81, Sadie Martinot, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This small photographic card featuring Sadie Martinot was produced in the United States by W. Duke Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. The image belongs to a series of actors and actresses distributed with cigarette packs. These cards offer a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural landscape of the late 19th century. Sadie Martinot was a popular stage performer, and her image was used to market a product associated with leisure and pleasure. The commercialization of celebrity culture was on the rise, with tobacco companies leveraging the fame of performers to boost sales. The image itself, with its theatrical pose and carefully constructed image, reflects the visual codes and conventions of the time. By researching advertising history and the careers of performers like Martinot, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, commerce, and society. These artifacts, seemingly trivial, provide valuable insights into the cultural values and social structures of the past.