Card Number 21, Greyson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is Card Number 21, featuring an actor named Greyson, from the Actors and Actresses series produced by Duke Sons & Co. sometime in the 1880s. It's a daguerreotype print, and the whole image has this wonderful aged, sepia tone. What I find striking is the subject’s somewhat androgynous appearance and their coy posture, leaning casually as though completely nonchalant. What catches your eye when you look at this? Curator: Oh, my darling, isn’t it delicious? I’m immediately transported back to a world of gaslight, cheeky theatrical productions, and social conventions bending, not quite breaking. For me, this isn’t just a portrait, but a window into the burgeoning celebrity culture of the late 19th century. Do you notice the “Cross Cut Cigarettes” subtly placed? It reminds us how deeply intertwined art, entertainment, and commerce were, even back then, and still are today. How about you? Do you find a trace of sly subversion in his expression? Editor: I see what you mean! Knowing it was an advertisement changes my perspective. It definitely adds another layer. Perhaps the androgyny and nonchalance are part of the marketing... almost rebellious. Curator: Exactly! Imagine being alive then. Society has rules and restrictions, and these tiny cards become tools for aspiration, even a little escapism. Think of it! Tucked away inside a cigarette pack, a little breath of rebellion and fabulousness. And who knew that these small glimpses into the past can continue inspiring questions and connections today? What's the biggest surprise to you as we are viewing it in our current society? Editor: I never thought of cigarette cards as containing rebellion or a chance for escape; I always saw them just as a collectible advertisement of yesteryear. They definitely offer a reflection on our current celebrity obsession as well, come to think of it. Curator: Precisely! From cigarette cards to social media…different medium but we as humans and as a society haven’t changed all that much after all.