Card Number 626, Belle Urquehardt, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This card, dating from the late 19th century, was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. The image of actress Belle Urquehardt is printed on a small piece of card, a seemingly simple object that belies the complex industrial processes behind its making. Consider the layered labor involved: from the cultivation of tobacco and the mass production of cigarettes, to the photographic process used to capture Urquehardt's image, and the printing technology that allowed for mass distribution. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, incentivizing consumers and building brand loyalty. The very fact that the company is credited as the ‘artist’ speaks to the shift in the art world, and how art changed through capitalism and industrialization. These cards were ephemeral objects, designed to be collected, traded, and ultimately discarded. But they also offer a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural values of the time. They remind us that even the most unassuming objects can be rich with meaning when we consider their material and social context.