Actress in profile wearing wide brimmed straw hat decorated with flowers, from Stars of the Stage, Third Series (N131) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891 - 1892

Editor: This is an advertisement card, printed between 1891 and 1892 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., called "Actress in profile wearing wide brimmed straw hat decorated with flowers." It seems to be promoting tobacco. It has such an elegant, old-fashioned charm to it! What draws your eye to this particular piece? Curator: You know, it's that intersection of art and commerce that really gets me. Here we have a delicate, almost impressionistic portrait used to sell something as gritty as tobacco. The actress, with her elaborate hat and flowing hair, is pure aspiration, pure theatre. It reminds me of a butterfly pinned to a billboard. I mean, consider the symbolism: flowers, the ephemeral beauty of youth... all vying for attention with the boldly printed product name. "Honest Long Cut." How ironic! What does “honesty” have to do with Tobacco, if you ask me? It's such a fascinating collision of worlds, don’t you think? Editor: It definitely is ironic! So you think the contrast is the key to understanding it? The ad uses the elegance of the actress to make tobacco appealing? Curator: Exactly! It's about associating pleasure and aspiration with a product. Also, imagine this card being collected, traded… it becomes a tiny portal into the popular culture of the late 19th century. These small cards once inserted into products are not only a trade commodity, but also now represent very accurate documentations of those eras. It makes you think about what kind of "art" is being used to sell us things today, doesn't it? And what that says about us. Editor: That's true. I never thought of it that way! Now I am intrigued by the hidden stories behind these seemingly simple images. Curator: Absolutely, and that’s the beauty of diving deep and engaging with this image and similar prints, it unlocks so much about our cultural and commercial values.