From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This albumen silver print, part of the "Actors and Actresses" series by Allen & Ginter, was produced as a cigarette card, likely in the 1880s, in the United States. These cards reflect the rise of consumer culture and the increasing use of advertising to promote brands. By including images of popular performers, companies like Virginia Brights Cigarettes aimed to associate their products with glamour and success. The image also reveals the cultural fascination with celebrity during this period, as actors and actresses became public figures whose images were widely circulated and consumed. The pose is classical but the purpose is commercial, suggesting an institutional relationship between the arts and the market. The image, and its mass distribution, is also indicative of broader social trends, including the changing role of women in society. Further historical research into advertising practices, popular culture, and the history of the tobacco industry would shed more light on the social context in which this card was produced and consumed.