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

"Bella," from the "Actors and Actresses" series of trade cards, is a photographic portrait of a ballerina produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes between 1885 and 1891. The card depicts a young woman in a classical ballet pose, wearing a tutu adorned with floral embellishments. This card, like other cards in the series, was distributed as a collectible advertisement for the tobacco brand. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this small, yet captivating, artifact of late-19th-century popular culture.