Card 18, from the Girl Cyclists series (N49) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes

Editor: So, this is Card 18 from the Girl Cyclists series, part of the N49 set made for Virginia Brights Cigarettes in 1887. It’s an albumen print, which is really cool. I find the figure's androgynous clothing striking, considering the period. What catches your eye? Curator: Indeed, the figure is quite captivating! What immediately draws me in are the layers of cultural symbolism embedded within this seemingly straightforward portrait. How do we read the bicycle itself as a symbol of liberation for women in the late 19th century? Editor: Liberation? I hadn't thought about it that way. Curator: Consider the era. The bicycle offered women unprecedented mobility, freedom from restrictive clothing, and a sense of self-reliance. The woman's attire, as you pointed out, challenges conventional gender norms. Her bowler hat, her jacket, they all contribute to a blurring of expected visual codes. Do you notice the slight smirk? Editor: I do now! It's like she knows something we don't. Almost like a secret. Curator: Exactly! This “secret” is a quiet revolution. It's an image of empowerment subtly woven into popular culture. The cigarette company, perhaps unwittingly, became a vehicle for promoting a new vision of womanhood. Editor: That's a totally different way of looking at a cigarette card! So it's more than just a picture, it is encoding a cultural shift. Curator: Precisely! It speaks volumes about societal changes and emerging female identities during that time, revealing layers of meaning that resonate even today. It certainly altered my perception.