Mlle. Darcelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 in. (6.8 × 3.5 cm)
Classification
Photographs|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.208.145.8.84
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 1890s advertising with *Mlle. Darcelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N-8)*, a petite albumen photograph produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co., the American Tobacco Company. Issued around 1891 to promote Duke Cigarettes this card is a charming example of ephemera—collectible inserts tucked into cigarette packs that turned smoking into a gateway for celebrity fandom. Measuring just 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 inches, it captures the alluring portrait of the actress Mlle. Darcelle, embodying the era's fascination with theater stars. Albumen prints, made by coating paper wit...
About the Artist
American Tobacco Company|W. Duke, Sons & Co.
**American Tobacco Company (1890–1911)** Founded on January 31, 1890, in Durham, North Carolina, by James Buchanan Duke, the American Tobacco Company emerged from the consolidation of five major U.S. tobacco manufacturers: W. Duke & Sons, Allen & Ginter, Goodwin & Company, W.S. Kimball & Co., and Kinney Brothers. Under Duke's aggressive leadership, it rapidly achieved monopoly status, controlling...