Florence Baker, Corsair Co./ Verona/ Clara Davenport/ Laura Curtis, Corsair Co., from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 4) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, part of Allen & Ginter’s "Actors and Actresses" series, presents four actresses, Florence Baker, Verona, Clara Davenport, and Laura Curtis. The images, printed for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, capture the emerging celebrity culture of the late 19th century. These women, adorned in theatrical costumes, are potent symbols of beauty, fame, and the spectacle of performance. Consider, for instance, the elaborate hats and jewelry—elements that amplify their stage presence and allure. Such adornments are not merely decorative, but symbolic, echoing the ways in which figures in Renaissance paintings were imbued with meaning through dress and accoutrements. Much like the attire of a Botticelli Venus or a Raphael Madonna, these theatrical costumes serve to elevate the actresses, connecting them to broader cultural archetypes of femininity and desire. This echoes an evolution of how symbols resurface, transformed yet familiar, engaging our subconscious with each new appearance.