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

Curator: So, here we have "Sadie Cortelyou, from the Actors and Actresses series" printed sometime between 1885 and 1891, by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It’s part of the Met's collection. Editor: First impression? Nostalgia, like a faded photograph tucked into a forgotten book. She has the sweetest little bonnet and expression, all muted tones and soft light. It's strangely compelling. Curator: Compelling indeed. These cards, often featuring actresses, athletes, or indigenous people, were essentially early forms of advertising, slipped into cigarette packs to encourage collecting. Think of them as miniature portraits driving cultural trends. Editor: A very shrewd ploy. In a way, it feels like she is immortalized as an 'It' girl from way back when, forever attached to a pack of smokes. Almost as if her essence is imbued into a product. How incredibly odd to market cigarettes using a face like hers. Curator: That commodification of celebrity is spot on. The mass reproduction made stars accessible, creating aspirational links between products, fame, and desirability, subtly embedding in daily lives and the collective consciousness. The late 19th century audience felt like Sadie was always in arm's reach, so to speak. Editor: Thinking about it, this is what sells. Still happens all the time in current trends, though maybe not through cigarettes, but I can only imagine it now -- an energy drink with Beyonce's face? A brand of tires by Ryan Gosling? What bizarre times! Curator: The more things change, eh? Sadie’s gentle face sold a product then and celebrity sells a product now, no question. These cards are snapshots into a historical system we helped create. It asks what—and who—gets the spotlight and what systems influence consumer behavior. Editor: Makes you think, doesn’t it? Makes me wonder what Sadie Cortelyou herself thought about being on a cigarette card. I'm grateful for this little piece.