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

This small card, made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, features Fräulein Biedermann, an actress. It’s made through a photographic process, likely mass-produced, and printed on thin card stock. What’s most interesting is the relationship between the image, the actress, and the product being advertised. Photography was becoming more widespread, making images of celebrities accessible. This card is a token, distributed with cigarettes. It's an early example of how celebrity endorsements functioned within a burgeoning culture of mass production and consumption. Consider the labor involved: from the cultivation of tobacco to the factory workers producing cigarettes and printing these cards. The photograph flattens all that labor into a collectible item. The card’s value lies not in its material substance, but in its representational power. These cards challenge our notions about art, craft, and commerce. It encourages us to look beyond traditional definitions and recognize the complex interplay of materials, making, and social context in understanding the visual world.