Mlle. Salles, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891
drawing, print, photography
portrait
drawing
impressionism
photography
historical photography
portrait reference
19th century
Dimensions: Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 3/8 in. (7 x 3.5 cm)
Copyright: Public Domain
This is a printed card featuring Mlle. Salles, a Parisian actress, made as part of a series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. What strikes me most about this card is not the image itself, but its original context as a mass-produced insert for cigarette packs. The photograph, likely taken in a professional studio, was reproduced through industrial printing processes on a small, disposable card. Consider the sheer scale of production required to include these cards in cigarette packs. This would have involved a significant workforce, from the photographers and printers to the factory workers who assembled the packs. The card itself, now preserved as a cultural artifact, speaks volumes about the commodification of celebrity and the rise of consumer culture. It prompts us to reflect on the labor and resources embedded in even the most ephemeral of objects. It really makes you question the relationship between entertainment, advertising, and the everyday lives of ordinary people.
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