From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 4) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: What strikes you first about this rather aged photograph? Editor: Warmth, definitely warmth. There's an embracing, welcoming quality about the woman's open smile. Curator: Indeed. This comes from the Actors and Actresses series, specifically N45, Type 4, produced between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Editor: Oh, so it's an advertisement, and a cultural artifact, too. Did they include one of these with each pack? What an interesting cross-section of portraiture, commercialism, and entertainment. I wonder what subconscious message these actresses sent by endorsing a product like tobacco, whether luxury or health hazard is debatable even now. Curator: Precisely! This small print offers a glimpse into late 19th-century social dynamics. Photography, drawings, and prints were commonly integrated in cigarette cards. Notice how the "portrait" aesthetic creates a sense of respectability, subtly connecting that aura to the brand. This also made the image instantly recognizable. Editor: Right, I imagine this was calculated. The actress here is smiling but wearing quite modest adornments: a furry, probably woolen bonnet, small brooch, drop earrings, and no showy display of wealth. Would you read into that at all? Curator: It depends how recognizable she was; I would suppose many card-holders wouldn't recognize her from the theatre anyway. Either way, in choosing her for such an intimate portrait, perhaps Virginia Brights wanted to signal to the smoking consumer the aspirational goals one could reach through that leisure. Her pleasant but seemingly average appearance would have helped connect with the average smoker. The brand also made many different actresses so their portrait would never grow too tired or cliché. Editor: That's really thought provoking: not relying on fame but implying attainability. These "Virginia Brights Cigarettes" would elevate the everyday. Fascinating to consider all that's packed into one little image. Curator: I agree, there's much to unpack. Editor: The material reality of this one artifact helps us see a past full of complexity that, however strange, can connect meaningfully with the present.