Louise Paullin, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 7) for Dixie Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This small card was made by Allen & Ginter for Dixie Cigarettes using photographic and printing processes. Consider the photographic process itself, which captures an image through a lens and fixes it onto a light-sensitive surface. The photograph flattens the three-dimensional world into a two-dimensional representation. It also makes it infinitely reproducible. Allen & Ginter mass-produced these cards, inserting them into cigarette packs to promote their brand. The image of Louise Paullin, an actress, also served to promote a certain lifestyle, associating Dixie Cigarettes with glamour. These cards also raise interesting questions about labor. The photographers, printers, and factory workers who produced these cards were all part of a larger system of production. In this context, the photograph is as much a commodity as the cigarettes themselves. By considering these factors, we can understand how images like this one fit into a broader history of capitalism and consumption.