D'Alencan, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: What a fascinating little piece! I'm immediately struck by its energy, this feeling of exuberant motion contained in such a small format. Editor: Indeed. This is a photographic print titled "D'Alencan, from the Actors and Actresses series" by Allen & Ginter, dating from around 1885 to 1891. Part of a series of trading cards, inserted in cigarette packs of the era. Curator: Cigarette cards! Amazing! What powerful symbolism—entertainment, commerce, and, well, ephemeral pleasure, all rolled into one small package. The D'Alencan must have been quite a popular figure to appear in this set. To be an "actor" in that time, did it automatically denote fame? What do you know of its materials? Editor: The card is quite thin, probably mass-produced with relatively cheap photographic printing techniques of the period, with some added printing I wager. Allen & Ginter aimed at wider consumption and this shaped their choice of photographic reproduction processes and papers, which are pretty base, though visually dynamic to a collector then. It raises questions, doesn't it, about value, both artistic and monetary? These cards blurred the lines between collectibles, promotional materials, and small format photography. They are beautiful in terms of production for sales...the work to feed machines in this case is often overlooked Curator: Absolutely. The imagery, two can-can dancers in full costume and performance. The symbolic richness is hard to ignore—dance as liberation, the extravagance of the dresses juxtaposed with their slightly scandalous movements and attire. They certainly knew what symbols attract customers: sexuality, boldness and art. In that time frame where portraiture still reigned, can you compare these types of portraits with similar imagery or figures? Editor: Interesting point, as the images here show that the subjects are both individuals and representative archetypes in modern consumerism. Unlike more painterly formats, they’re made for dispersal. These actresses were likely involved in marketing networks and consumer activities— their portraits became tools, which in turn became product parts— it is interesting what this does to modern conceptions of the genre. Curator: It makes you wonder about the original audience, about their desires and aspirations... and the dreams they found briefly flickering within their daily grind of a purchased momentary fantasy. Editor: Well, the convergence of photography, entertainment, and commodity culture feels extremely contemporary, when we view them now. The mode and method in turn can define and explain contemporary views in photographic and performing artworks to come!