Marie Janson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have a piece entitled "Marie Janson, from the Actors and Actresses series" made between 1885 and 1891 for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, from Allen & Ginter. It seems so delicate, like a faded dream from a bygone era. The subject, Marie Janson, has a wistful look. What do you see in this, as an artifact of its time? Curator: It whispers tales of celebrity, doesn't it? It’s a reminder of how fleeting fame can be. I imagine her, Marie Janson, caught in a moment between acts, perhaps, or simply a carefully constructed image meant to entice smokers. See how the soft focus almost mythologizes her? I can’t help but wonder what she dreamt of when the flashbulb popped. Don’t you feel that it is interesting for a cigarette company to promote Actresses on them? Editor: Absolutely. It's almost contradictory, promoting something considered perhaps risque, even then, alongside something arguably harmful, but also, glamorous. Did cigarette cards function like a primitive form of social media endorsement? Curator: Precisely! Consider this not just a portrait, but a performance within a performance. It's Ukiyo-e but very Western, what stories do you suppose those eyes could tell if she could speak? Perhaps a tale of aspirations, challenges overcome and the pressure that comes with success? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, this gives me a completely different appreciation for it! Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Sometimes, art speaks loudest when it's whispering secrets. It has definitely made me reflect, that is for sure!