Loraine Badger, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This photograph of Loraine Badger, from the Actors and Actresses series, was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It's a small chromolithograph that was printed on paper, a process which involved transferring an image from a stone or metal plate to paper using a series of lithographic stones, each applying a different color. The image’s sepia tone evokes a sense of nostalgia. These cards were among the first forms of mass-produced advertising. The cards like these were inserted into cigarette packs to stiffen them and entice smokers to collect full sets. This speaks volumes about how consumerism has penetrated both art and life. They blurred the boundaries between art, advertising, and everyday life, turning photography and printmaking into tools of mass marketing. Ultimately, this unassuming image is an eloquent witness to its time, reflective of the labor, consumption, and cultural values of the late 19th century.