Josie Hall, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: So, this is "Josie Hall," a promotional albumen print for Virginia Brights Cigarettes by Allen & Ginter, dating from around 1885 to 1891. She's… well, she's posing very carefully, but I feel like she would rather be doing something else! What do you see in this piece? Curator: Oh, darling, you've hit the nail on the head! Look at that averted gaze. It's as if she's caught between the expectations of performance and the stirrings of her own inner world. Isn't it intriguing how something meant to sell tobacco can whisper of such personal complexities? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It just seemed a little stiff. Curator: But the stiffness *is* the point, in a way. The layers of fabric, the careful pose – it's all about constructing a certain image. And within that construction, we see glimpses of something… less constructed. Do you see the cherubic figures at the bottom of the stone where she sits? A bit ironic, wouldn't you say, when attached to a Cigarette advert? Editor: Yes, the little cherubs are funny given the context of the ad. What do you make of her costume? It feels theatrical. Curator: Precisely! It’s a stage costume, hinting at her profession as an actress. Cigarette cards often featured popular performers. It's fascinating how ephemera like this offers a glimpse into the celebrity culture of the late 19th century. These small tokens are now treasured artifacts, holding both aesthetic and cultural significance. What did that perspective do for you, as you examined it again? Editor: It's so interesting to think about the layers of meaning embedded in such a small object. Seeing it as more than just an advertisement, but as a record of performance and cultural values...that adds so much! Curator: Exactly! It just goes to show that the most unexpected places can hold the most profound reflections of who we are and were, right? It also reminds us, never trust advertising... especially when cute cherubs and pretty actresses are trying to sell us something bad.