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

Editor: So, we have here “Leonce, Variettees”, a portrait from the Actors and Actresses series, created between 1885 and 1891 for Virginia Brights Cigarettes by Allen & Ginter, currently residing at The Met. It’s giving me…sepia-toned formality with a whiff of… well, cigarettes! Tell me, what’s your take on this piece? Curator: Ah, yes! The cigarette card. A tiny portal to a bygone era. For me, it’s more than just tobacco advertising; it's a slice of celebrity worship in its nascent form. Do you see how the light catches Leonce’s somewhat world-weary expression? Editor: Absolutely, it’s quite a captivating face. There’s a history there, isn’t there? Almost like a vintage movie still. Curator: Exactly! The daguerreotype or early photographic print attempts to capture a persona as much as a likeness. Allen & Ginter were really shrewd, leveraging popular figures to hawk their wares. I mean, who wouldn’t want a puff of smoke endorsed by Leonce? Who, by the way, I imagine had some cracking stories. What do you imagine his "varietees" were? Editor: Ooh, good question. Something theatrical and daring, I hope! I never considered the celebrity endorsement angle of these little cards before, just their aesthetic appeal. It gives me something to look for! Curator: It does recontextualize a portrait into something much larger than art... it tells us about ourselves. The human narrative! That is art in totality! Editor: True, true. I'll never look at a vintage cigarette card the same way again!