Card 864, Clara Morris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photograph of Clara Morris by Allen & Ginter, originally produced as a cigarette card in the late 19th century. These cards were immensely popular, offering small portraits of prominent figures. Morris was a celebrated actress known for her emotional depth and ability to portray intense suffering, drawing audiences into her tragic roles. What’s fascinating is how the image, initially designed as a commercial token, also captures something of Morris's dramatic persona. Look at her pose, it suggests a pensiveness, a moment of introspection that hints at the emotional labor she undertook on stage. These cards existed within a culture that was rapidly changing, with new forms of mass media and advertising shaping public perceptions of fame and identity. While seemingly disposable, these images contributed to the construction of celebrity and the commodification of artistic talent. The actress’s fame is now intertwined with a very different kind of performance, one meant to sell cigarettes.