Frl. Malten, 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. It is one of many in a series depicting actresses. These cards were made using industrial printing techniques, specifically lithography, that allowed for mass production and distribution. The material itself, thin card stock, speaks to the ephemerality of consumer culture. Unlike a formal painted portrait, this small card was designed to be collected and discarded, a fleeting image in circulation. Consider the social context: this card was a marketing tool, aimed at associating the glamour of the theater with the habit of smoking. The image is carefully posed and printed to convey a sense of elegance, yet it’s ultimately a product of labor, both in the depiction of Frl. Malten, and in the factory production of the card itself. These cards challenge the traditional distinction between fine art and commercial craft, blurring the lines between artistic expression and capitalist enterprise.