Frances Kemble, from the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 2) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

Editor: Here we have a photograph from 1887 of Frances Kemble, who was an actress, and this image comes from a series of celebrity promotional cards for Allen & Ginter cigarettes. The first thing that strikes me is the sepia tone which makes the portrait feel rather romantic. How do you interpret this image? Curator: Well, consider this portrait as an artifact embedded within a web of cultural signs. What does a celebrity endorsement mean when attached to tobacco, specifically "Little Beauties Cigarettes?" This isn't simply advertising. The portrait aims to bestow some of Kemble's status, perhaps her intelligence or artistry, onto the consumer. Note how the flower at her chest acts as a signifier; a reference to blossoming womanhood or beauty used to evoke emotional responses and societal aspirations. The cultural memory attached to Kemble, a noted Shakespearean actress, gets subtly transferred. Does it feel manipulative or aspirational? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not just selling cigarettes; it's selling an image of sophistication and success connected to this woman, like you could obtain her intellect through consumption. The flower and sepia tones really feed into that ideal. Curator: Precisely. Think of this in connection to a time when photography was rapidly becoming accessible, playing into our collective fantasies. Does photography always capture "truth" or does it craft an image meant to be consumed in more ways than one? What desires are being tapped into here? Editor: It’s fascinating to think how much is packed into something as seemingly simple as a cigarette card. It’s more than just a picture; it’s a window into the aspirations of the time. Curator: Absolutely, by examining these objects we gain access to complex cultural landscapes from the past.