Dorothy Dean, from World's Beauties, Series 2 (N27) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This small lithograph of Dorothy Dean was one of a series inserted into cigarette packs by Allen & Ginter of Richmond, Virginia. The company sought to elevate its brand by associating it with images of feminine beauty. Printed around the 1880s, the card reflects the fashion of the time, particularly the emphasis on elaborate hairstyles and delicate features. The choice of actresses, singers, and dancers as subjects speaks to the rising popularity of mass entertainment and celebrity culture in the late 19th century. But it also reflects the cultural idea of women as objects of display and consumption. Advertising imagery was then a relatively new cultural form, and cigarette companies were quick to see the value of associating their products with beauty. What can we learn from such images? Historians might research the Allen & Ginter company records, along with period publications. This research could reveal the social and cultural meanings attached to beauty, celebrity, and consumerism in the Gilded Age.