Mlle. Isabelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is Mlle. Isabelle, a photographic print from the Actors and Actresses series by Allen & Ginter, a cigarette company. These cards emerged in a time when the burgeoning culture of celebrity was gaining momentum, and were a kind of proto-trading card. Portraits like this offer a window into the performance of identity and the commodification of fame at the turn of the century. Isabelle, adorned in an elaborate costume, including a dramatic hat, presents a carefully constructed image. Her gaze is directed away from the viewer, perhaps suggesting an aloofness, a distance from the consumer. The very act of circulating her image via cigarette cards raises questions about the ownership and control over one's own image, especially for women in the public eye. Isabelle's image invites us to reflect on the performative aspects of identity and the social and economic structures that shape our perceptions of self and others.