Card Number 117, St. Clair, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card number 117, St. Clair, from the Actors and Actresses series, was created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card depicts a woman identified as St. Clair, standing in front of draped curtains, and is part of a larger series featuring performers of the time. These cards were distributed at a time when the advertising industry was on the rise, and when idealized images of women were frequently used to promote products. St. Clair is presented as an object of admiration and aspiration for the public. Consider the performative aspect of her identity, both as an actress and as a figure constructed for commercial purposes. What does it mean to have your image circulated as a symbol of desire and consumption? Think about the implications of being an actress during this period. St. Clair's representation engages with themes of labor, celebrity, and the gaze. The artwork highlights how identities are both shaped and commodified within broader social and economic structures.