Card Number 14, Urquhart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is "Card Number 14, Urquhart," a promotional card for Cross Cut Cigarettes, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. sometime between 1870 and 1920. These cards were a popular marketing tool, capitalizing on the burgeoning entertainment industry and the public's fascination with performers. Urquhart's attire challenges our notions of gender and performance. She presents a figure that is both strong and vulnerable, poised between masculine and feminine. Her direct gaze confronts the viewer, demanding attention and perhaps challenging the male-dominated gaze of the time. What does it mean to see her image commodified, reduced to a token in a cigarette pack? This card is more than just an advertisement; it's a glimpse into the complex negotiations of identity, representation, and consumption that defined the era. It's a reminder of the lives and labor behind the images we often take for granted.