Mlle. Saracco, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: This is Mlle. Saracco from the Actors and Actresses series, created between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter. It looks like it’s made using drawing and photographic techniques. It feels staged, theatrical. What do you see in this piece, what's significant to you? Curator: Instantly, I am drawn to the pose. Arms raised, offering—almost sacrificing—herself to something unseen. Consider the garland of flowers she holds, a classical symbol of honor and ephemeral beauty. Do you think it’s coincidental that this is from a series made for cigarette cards? Editor: Not coincidental at all. Was she famous, her image promoting Virginia Brights cigarettes? It’s such a contrast, this 'high art' pose promoting something so…everyday. Curator: Exactly! It's the juxtaposition that captivates me. Her theatrical stance speaks to idealized femininity. The raised arms have resonated throughout art history as vulnerability but also offering. A saint’s surrender, the adoration of the goddess – all repackaged to sell tobacco. Editor: So, the card is selling an image of aspiration or beauty. How did it contribute to building that up around actresses or other professions? Curator: This card plays into that developing narrative. Mass media allows for democratization but, arguably, distortion. By attaching her likeness to Virginia Brights, Saracco and all she represents— talent, beauty, perhaps even a hint of worldly indulgence— becomes commodified. Do you see any other symbols here, contributing to cultural understanding? Editor: Looking closer, her ornate, almost barbaric-looking dress is not random. Curator: Absolutely, even that deliberate choice communicates in a visual language and contributes a specific meaning that viewers would likely recognise and subconsciously accept. Editor: It is amazing how much history and symbolic meaning can be loaded into such a small image on a simple card! Curator: Precisely, this reveals layers of our history, where commerce intertwines and alters the meanings of beauty, performance, and identity.