Card 282, Louise Montague, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is Card 282, a lithograph from the Actors and Actresses series, made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The sepia tone gives the card a nostalgic, almost dreamlike quality. The subject, Louise Montague, stands with her arms crossed, her posture suggesting a mix of defiance and vulnerability. The composition is rigidly structured; horizontal lines define the base, while Montague’s figure creates a vertical emphasis, dividing the space. The flat, uniform color denies depth, emphasizing the surface and the flatness of the image. The stark simplicity invites us to consider the semiotics of representation at play. As a commercial artifact, the card presents Montague as a sign – she is both an individual and a symbol of aspiration, packaged for consumption alongside cigarettes. The interplay between public image and private identity destabilizes traditional notions of celebrity and value. Consider how the formal elements—the limited palette, rigid composition, and shallow space—contribute to a reading of the card as a cultural artifact, reflecting and shaping societal perceptions of beauty, fame, and commodification.