Mlle. Berthe, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Dixie Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, one of many produced by Allen & Ginter for Dixie Cigarettes, features Mlle. Berthe, a Parisian actress. It's a photograph, reproduced through the newly industrialized printing technologies of the late 19th century, and affixed to card stock. These were not traditional art materials. Instead, they were the stuff of everyday life, designed for mass consumption. The card's material qualities - its small size, its sepia tone, its very disposability - all speak to its original purpose as a promotional item. The image itself, a carefully posed portrait of Mlle. Berthe in costume, also reflects this intention. It was meant to entice consumers, associating the glamour of the stage with the pleasure of smoking. Think about the labor involved in the production of these cards: from the photographers and printers to the factory workers assembling cigarette packs. What was once considered a mundane item now offers us a fascinating glimpse into the social and economic landscape of its time, reminding us that even the most seemingly insignificant objects can reveal much about the world in which they were made.