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

This card, featuring actress Fanny Rice, was printed by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, as part of an advertising series for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The image is a photograph, mass-produced through industrial printing methods on a small paper card. What’s interesting here is the meeting of celebrity, performance, and commodification. The image itself, captured through photographic processes, speaks to the rise of mechanical reproduction. The photograph’s sepia tone and the smooth texture of the card give it a nostalgic feel, yet it was created for a distinctly modern purpose: marketing. The Kinney Brothers were not making art, but something to be included in packs of cigarettes, and then discarded. By placing Fanny Rice's image within reach of everyday consumers, the card democratized access to celebrity culture. It also reflects the growing importance of advertising and consumerism in shaping social values, blurring the lines between entertainment, commerce, and art.