Mlle. Chalot, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

This photograph of Mlle. Chalot was produced around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co., as a promotional item for Duke Cigarettes. It’s a simple albumen print on paper, a process that was by then highly industrialized. The image's sepia tone speaks to its material composition, developed with metallic salts on an albumen-coated paper, derived from egg whites. Photography at this time relied heavily on chemical processes and standardization. This particular print, being a collectible card distributed with cigarettes, speaks volumes about the era's modes of production and consumption. Consider the social context: photography democratized portraiture, yet its use here reduces Mlle. Chalot to a commodity, packaged with tobacco. The card’s small size belies its significance, capturing a moment in the intersection of art, advertising, and the burgeoning consumer culture, reminding us that even the humblest materials can tell complex stories.