Card Number 20, Mattie Ferguson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is 'Card Number 20, Mattie Ferguson', a promotional card made by W. Duke, Sons & Co., around the turn of the 20th century to advertise Cross Cut Cigarettes. The sepia tones and the carefully arranged composition immediately evoke a sense of nostalgia. Consider the interplay between the figure of Mattie Ferguson and the naturalistic backdrop. Her reclining pose and direct gaze invite the viewer in, while the landscape provides a soft, romantic context. This juxtaposition highlights a tension between the artifice of staged portraiture and an ideal of natural beauty. Semiotically, the image operates on multiple levels. The text boldly declares the product, while the actress represents an aspirational lifestyle associated with fame and leisure. The overall effect is a carefully constructed message designed to appeal to consumers, blending desire with the everyday act of smoking.