Card 725, M. Lucette, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is "Card 725, M. Lucette," a photograph created by Allen & Ginter as part of an advertising campaign for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Produced in the late 19th century, this card is a window into the social and cultural landscape of the United States, during the Gilded Age. The image of M. Lucette, an actress, creates meaning through established visual codes. Actresses, like other celebrities, became associated with consumer products, and their images were used to promote everything from cigarettes to clothing. This phenomenon was driven by the rise of mass media and the increasing importance of advertising in a consumer culture. By examining publications from the period, alongside the archives of the company itself, historians can better understand this complex relationship between art, commerce, and society, revealing the dynamics of American culture. Ultimately, art is contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it’s made.