Legault, Vaudeville, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a "trade card" depicting a performer named "Legault" from the series "Actors and Actresses" created by Allen & Ginter for their Virginia Brights Cigarettes brand. Produced between 1885 and 1891, the card showcases the artist's portrait with the performer's name and the act's genre, "vaudeville." The card itself is a small, rectangular piece of paper measuring just 2 3/4 x 1 3/8 inches. Though the artists remain anonymous, this card exemplifies a popular late-19th-century trend of using collectible cards to promote consumer goods. It can be found today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.