From the Girls and Children series (N64) promoting Virginia Brights Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1886

This promotional card for Virginia Brights cigarettes, by Allen & Ginter, presents us with a peculiar image of a child inspecting themself in a mirror. The mirror is a powerful symbol, and it appears in art throughout the ages. Consider Vanitas paintings where a mirror reflects the fleeting nature of beauty and life, or even ancient myths where mirrors reveal hidden truths. Here, however, the child’s narcissistic gaze into the mirror, coupled with their somewhat clownish attire, might reflect a societal obsession with outward appearances and fleeting pleasures. The text held close to the child in the mirror feels like it's implying that the product is necessary for self-admiration. The image engages our subconscious on a deep level, tapping into primal anxieties about identity and the passage of time. This seemingly innocent promotional card becomes a poignant reflection on the human condition, revealing the cyclical nature of desire and the enduring power of symbols across different eras.