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

This small photograph of Alice Lee is part of the Actors and Actresses series made for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The sepia tone and compact format give the image a delicate, intimate feel. Lee's gaze draws us in, yet the composition remains rigidly structured, segmenting the elements. The subject's head and shoulders are neatly cropped. Lettering below the image names the actress and promotes the brand of cigarettes. As a mass-produced promotional item, the card presents an interesting interplay between art, commerce, and celebrity culture. The photographic medium flattens depth, reducing Lee to a sign—a commodity circulating within a network of desires and representations. The muted tones and standardized format reinforce the function of the card as a repeatable, reproducible object. Here, the image functions less as a portrait of an individual and more as a component within a larger system of exchange, where beauty and fame are packaged and consumed. It's fascinating to consider how these material qualities reflect the evolving relationship between art, consumerism, and identity in modern society.