Mlle. Vanda, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, from a series made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, features Mlle. Vanda, an actress of the late 19th century. The cards were made using photography and printing technologies. The image is printed on paper, which would have been mass-produced. Consider that this card was not conceived as art, but as a collectible included with a commercial product. These cards were essentially promotional items, leveraging popular figures to sell cigarettes. It represents the way in which images of performers were consumed as part of a culture of celebrity, circulated through mass media. The card reflects the rise of consumer culture and the commodification of leisure activities like theater and dance. Materials like this remind us that “art” is not just what hangs on a wall, but also the ephemera that shapes our everyday lives.