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

Curator: This is "Card Number 113, Lillian Russell," from the Actors and Actresses series, a promotional item issued by Duke Sons & Co. in the 1880s. It's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What's your immediate take? Editor: Va-va-voom! Look at that confection of a costume and tiny waist! It’s a feast for the eyes, isn't it? All those sparkly elements against that dark background—talk about drama! There's real artistry here. It’s definitely meant to seduce. Curator: It’s definitely doing something! These cards were little treasures, you know. They came with packs of Cross Cut Cigarettes. Back then, advertising was a far cry from billboards... I mean imagine collecting all your favourite celebrities by buying packs of cigarettes. Editor: And speaking of seduction, look at how the pose works with the cigarette advertising. The tiara atop her head paired with a seductive expression evokes that of goddesses and queens, a product designed for the elite. She represents power and beauty and aligns these characteristics to that of those who enjoy "Cross-Cut Cigarettes." Curator: Exactly. It’s interesting how those visual cues worked then and resonate even now. Her opulent dress, that impossibly cinched waist, even the backdrop. It creates a sense of longing, doesn’t it? The ornamentations symbolize all the elements of beauty, wealth and status. She wants to draw us into the dream. Editor: And it did and it still does. The dream peddled isn't necessarily one of smoking the right cigarettes. However, her beauty represents this unobtainable status for the commoners. What I see when I really consider it is the symbolism of the female performer; how that role itself has held symbolic power over the ages. To be beautiful is to perform in this capitalistic era, even for one's own life, I should think. It makes you want to pursue perfection, doesn’t it? I would ask: but is it sustainable? Curator: What a fascinating take, you're completely right! The performance becomes everything. Seeing it from that perspective is strangely illuminating. I’ll never look at another cigarette card the same way!