Viola Allen in The Palace of the King, from the Actresses series (T1), distributed by the American Tobacco Co. to promote Turkish Trophies Cigarettes 1900

This lithograph of Viola Allen in "The Palace of the King" was created by Frederick Spiegle and distributed by the American Tobacco Co. The portrait’s composition employs soft, diffused light, focusing attention on Allen’s face and costume. The delicate lines of her features contrast with the more pronounced contours of her ruffled collar and ornate headpiece. Note how the artist uses colour: a muted palette with subtle pinks and blues that contributes to the overall ethereal quality. What interests me here is how the image presents Allen through both artistic and commercial lenses. While on the surface, it's a promotional item, the formal treatment—particularly the careful arrangement of light and shadow—elevates it beyond mere advertising. It engages with contemporary ideals of beauty and celebrity, using the visual language of portraiture to construct a public persona. The image, therefore, exists in a complex interplay between art, commerce, and identity. It invites us to consider how these elements intersect.