Card Number 7, Minnie Dupree, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

Card Number 7, Minnie Dupree, was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for Cross Cut Cigarettes. These cards, which were popular in the late 19th century, offer us a glimpse into the cultural values of the time. Here, we see actress Minnie Dupree, posed demurely in a pastoral setting. These cards served a dual purpose: they promoted consumerism and perpetuated certain ideals of femininity. Actresses like Dupree were among the first celebrities, and their images helped to sell not just cigarettes but also a vision of beauty and success that many women aspired to. However, it's important to remember the context. These images often glossed over the realities of women’s lives and the limited opportunities available to them. In our contemporary moment, it is interesting to consider how these images both shaped and reflected the dreams and constraints of women at the time, caught between tradition and modernity.