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

This is Laura Biggar from the Actresses series, a photograph issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Such cards were common in the late 19th century, particularly in America. Here, a portrait of a well-known stage actress has been appropriated to promote a lifestyle of leisure and luxury which might be obtained through consumption of the tobacco company's product. Biggar reclines in a silk kimono on what looks like an orientalist bed, and idly holds playing cards. Commercial images such as this provide historians with valuable insights into social values and aspirations during the Gilded Age. We might also consider the changing status of actresses at this time, whose images became increasingly visible in the public sphere. These images speak volumes about the cultural values of the time. Trade catalogues, periodicals, and newspapers of the time offer valuable additional context. Understanding this photograph means understanding its place within the social and institutional landscape.