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

Editor: This is "From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes" dating from between 1885 and 1891, created by Allen & Ginter. It looks like a photograph, almost a drawing too, sepia-toned and capturing a woman in what appears to be theatrical costume. Given the advertisement at the bottom, I suppose it was designed for distribution as a small print or card. It makes me think of the theatrical productions of the time. What strikes you most about this image? Curator: The cigarette card! A seemingly ephemeral object actually teeming with cultural information. These cards were enormously popular; mass-produced collectibles inserted into cigarette packs, revealing much about the period's ideals and aspirations. Who was included and how? Which brands circulated particular imagery? Think about what roles were deemed "desirable" enough to sell tobacco! Why portray actresses in this way? Is it promoting ideas of gender, class, and nationality? Editor: That is really interesting; I hadn’t considered the choices behind who got depicted. Do you know what made someone "card-worthy?" Curator: Popularity, certainly. But also conformity to specific ideals. In this case, think about how she's posed, how she is costumed, and even how her likeness has been captured. There were many ways that Allen & Ginter tried to speak to what its customers wanted to believe and how they liked to visualize things. Even the printing technology plays a part in conveying that idea. Editor: It's amazing how something so small could contain such complex cultural messages! Thanks, I hadn’t thought about cigarette cards in this much depth before. Curator: Me neither, until this moment. Thank you for helping me think about it from another angle.