Capitola Urline, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This is a promotional card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company sometime around the turn of the 20th century. The card features Capitola Urline, an actress of the time. What's interesting here is the way the image participates in the commercial culture of its day. Tobacco companies routinely used images of actresses to promote their products, capitalizing on celebrity and aspiration. The details of Urline’s costume—the tailored jacket, the sporty cap—speak to the era’s changing ideals of femininity. Women were entering the workforce and adopting more active lifestyles, and the actress became a potent symbol of this new, modern woman. These cards offer a fascinating glimpse into the social and cultural values of the time. To understand them fully, historians might consult theater archives, fashion plates, and advertising ephemera. Through these resources, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, commerce, and social change.