Card Number 113, Helen Adelade, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is card number 113 from the Actors and Actresses series, featuring Helen Adelade, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the 1880s as a cigarette card. The sepia tone and the subject's elaborate gown give it such a formal, almost theatrical feel. What draws your eye when you look at this? Curator: Oh, the layers upon layers of meaning! It's not just a portrait, but a portal. This was a mass-produced advertisement, yet it whispers of individual artistry. It reminds me of gazing into an old photograph album, each face holding a thousand untold stories. Notice the self-assured gaze, wouldn't you agree? Is she inviting us into her world, or subtly selling us a product? Or is it both, maybe at the same time? Editor: It's a clever point – the blurring of art and commerce. Did people even think about it back then? Curator: Perhaps not in the way we dissect it now. But advertising, even then, borrowed from the aesthetic of high art to elevate its appeal. Think of it: art democratized, slipped into your pocket with your pack of cigarettes. And did it make people purchase that specific brand of cigarettes? A thought… Editor: So, in a way, it's an early form of influencer marketing? Curator: Exactly! A fleeting glimpse into celebrity culture, fueled by capitalism and artistry intertwined. A small rectangular object reflecting larger social currents. It's easy to overlook the humble cigarette card. It truly prompts to ponder the power of images. Don't you agree? Editor: Definitely! I never considered a cigarette card could be so…deep! It is curious to think of the blend of social strata that touched this image during its lifetime. Curator: Exactly, each object holds secrets. It is our role to uncover them.