Card 297, Lotta, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have "Card 297, Lotta, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes," created sometime between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter. It's a small print, almost like a snapshot from another time, sepia-toned and slightly faded. There's something so innocent yet captivating about the subject's gaze. What strikes you when you look at this? Curator: Oh, my dear, it whispers stories, doesn’t it? Like a half-remembered dream. This little card is more than just advertising; it's a portal! Can't you just smell the old tobacco mingling with a hint of rosewater, the scent of a Victorian theatre dressing room? She's ethereal, our Lotta, like she might vanish if we blinked. The soft lines of the print...do you think it aimed for that Pre-Raphaelite romanticism, elevating an actress to a muse? It is a staged moment, but perhaps also reaching for some feeling of fleeting realness? Editor: I hadn't considered the Pre-Raphaelite connection, that's insightful. It makes sense, given the period. But advertising featuring figures from the performing arts felt so forward at the time! Curator: Exactly! Talk about celebrity endorsements! Now, tell me, doesn't the wear and tear on the paper add a layer of profound meaning? It reminds me that art – and fame itself – is fleeting. How marvelous to consider all of the journeys that little piece of card took over time and space before landing in a museum? And to think, all this power, from something that once came free with a packet of cigarettes. It is as funny as it is gorgeous! Editor: It really reframes the way I see these types of "everyday" objects. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! To look closer is always to understand more; it invites our souls to bloom, wouldn't you agree?