Card 657, Miss Hart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, printed by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, is from a series featuring actors and actresses. It's a small chromolithograph, a process involving multiple lithographic stones, each applying a different color to create a complete image. The texture of the card is smooth, designed for mass production and distribution within cigarette packs. The image, though seemingly simple, is a product of complex industrial processes, reflecting the rise of consumer culture and advertising in the late 19th century. The choice of subject, Miss Hart, an actress, speaks to the growing celebrity culture and the use of popular figures to promote products. Consider the labor involved: from the photographers and printers to the factory workers assembling the cigarettes and inserting these cards. This card, seemingly a trivial commercial object, encapsulates significant social and economic shifts. It’s a reminder that everyday items can offer profound insights into the history of labor, consumerism, and the blurring of art and commerce.