Card Number 75, Montague, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Editor: This is Card Number 75, Montague, a piece from the Actors and Actresses series dating back to the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It seems to be a collotype print originally designed to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. The portrait gives me a strong feeling of nostalgia and makes me curious about the role this woman played on the stage and in society. What kind of stories do you think this portrait holds? Curator: Ah, what a captivating glimpse into a bygone era. The sepia tones evoke the romance of old photography studios. See how the texture almost whispers secrets of its age. A humble cigarette card, yes, but holding within it echoes of theatre footlights and societal whims, the celebrity culture in its chrysalis. Notice how Montague's gaze meets ours, not directly challenging, but a gentle invitation to ponder? It's almost as if she is performing even in this still moment. What do you suppose her performance revealed? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn’t considered the performative aspect within the photograph itself. I was focusing on her as an actress on the stage and the photographer as documentarian. Now, seeing that the sitter, Montague, is “on” in the photograph—it complicates things. It is both advertising and, perhaps, “art.” I find this card interesting since its context seems so interdisciplinary. Curator: Precisely! And here’s where the real magic unfolds: Commerce becomes intertwined with art, celebrity with commodity. Think of Warhol's soup cans a century later! These cards became tiny portable galleries for the everyday person. The mass distribution is just mind-blowing. A quiet disruption if you ask me. What about her presentation strikes you? Does the photograph convey a specific sense of status or performance in your opinion? Editor: That's a really helpful way to consider it. The intersection of advertising, art, and celebrity culture provides an amazing perspective of that time. It has given me new appreciation of just how art impacts and mirrors society! Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! Art’s always in dialogue—we're simply tuning into the conversation.