Theo, 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
63.350.208.145.8.255
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century American advertising with *Theo*, a charming albumen photograph from the Actors and Actresses series (145-8), issued 1891 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their Duke Cigarettes. This portrait (just 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 inches) captures the poised elegance of actress "Theo," one of many performers featured in these collectible cards. Tobacco companies like Duke pioneered this marketing tactic, tucking the cards into cigarette packs to entice collectors—especially young fans—and boost sales during the Gilded Age's booming consumer culture. Printed vi...
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...