From the Actresses series (N57) promoting Our Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1890

This late 19th-century lithograph, created by Allen & Ginter, was designed as a promotional card for ‘Our Little Beauties Cigarettes’ and portrays a woman in a theatrical setting. The figure, presented as a performer, is adorned with the trappings of the stage. Consider the motif of the actress seated upon a symbolic precipice—here a simple rock—a recurring theme throughout art history, where a figure teeters on the edge of something, a representation of fleeting fame and precarious fortune. The attire, suggestive yet demure, finds echoes in earlier depictions of nymphs and goddesses, albeit filtered through the lens of commercial entertainment. These historical precedents inform our understanding of beauty, allure, and performance. The gaze directed slightly upward evokes an aspirational quality, tapping into a collective desire for upward mobility and social elevation. The psychological aspect of the image lies in its appeal to the subconscious longings of its audience, offering a glimpse into a world of glamour and success. This world perpetually resurfaces in the collective imagination.