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

This small photograph, part of a series of actresses made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, gives us a glimpse into the world of celebrity and consumer culture in the late 19th century United States. The image of Mlle. Dutramel, a performer, was carefully constructed. Her costume, pose, and even the cigarette itself, are visual codes designed to appeal to a specific audience, namely consumers of tobacco products. The commercialization of celebrity through advertising speaks volumes about the evolving relationship between art, commerce, and entertainment at this time. Institutions such as museums, galleries, and even commercial entities like Allen & Ginter, played a role in shaping public taste and promoting cultural values. To fully understand this image, one needs to consult archives of advertising history, theater ephemera, and social histories of consumer culture. It is through this kind of interdisciplinary research that we can appreciate the complex social forces that shape the production and reception of art.