Marie Jansen, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Goodwin & Company created this promotional card for Old Judge Cigarettes as part of their Actors and Actresses series. The sepia tones and small scale give it an intimate feel, almost like a miniature portrait. The composition is carefully arranged. Marie Jansen is positioned slightly off-center, drawing your eye to her face. The soft focus and the backdrop, suggestive of a theatrical set, create a sense of artifice. The textures, from the floral patterns of her dress to the rough wood of the bucket, are rendered with surprising detail given the card's size. The card functions as a sign. It is a commodity, designed to circulate and create value for the brand through Jansen's image. It invites us to decode the cultural values attached to celebrity, performance, and consumption in the late 19th century. Note how the formal elements – the soft lighting, the carefully chosen pose, and the printing technique – all contribute to constructing a particular image of femininity and success, one that is both accessible and aspirational.