Miss Howard, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This card, featuring Miss Howard, was produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Company, as part of a series of actresses. It is a printed photograph, a mode of production that became widespread during the industrial era. The card’s materiality is significant; it’s a mass-produced object, intended to be collected and traded. The image is not unique, but one of many, circulated as a promotional item for cigarettes. The texture of the card is smooth, mass-produced, and somewhat anonymous. The photograph itself is carefully posed, designed to appeal to consumers, and ultimately to sell more cigarettes. The mass production of photograph cards, like this one, involved a complex division of labor, from photographers to printers to factory workers who packaged the cigarettes. The actress herself is also a worker, whose image is being deployed within a system that often exploited creative talent. Considering this card, it is important to understand the social and economic context in which it was produced and consumed, challenging any traditional distinctions between fine art and commercial ephemera.