Lillian Lewis, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: What a wonderfully faded example of late 19th-century celebrity culture. This is a trade card produced between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter, titled "Lillian Lewis, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes," currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: There's a certain wistful quality to the sepia tones that dominates my first impression. It immediately strikes me as possessing this fragile sense of ephemeral beauty, heightened by the subtle blurring. The whole photograph whispers of times long past. Curator: Indeed. Pictorialism was coming into vogue at this time. The photographer plays with shallow depth of field to suggest a dreamlike, almost ethereal, reality. See how the sharp focus falls primarily on Lewis' face. Editor: And isn’t that a fascinating prop she leans on? Something of a neo-classical harp, miniaturized and domesticated, supporting her languid pose. It speaks to the performative nature of celebrity. Are we meant to view her as a muse, or simply admire her pose? Curator: Possibly both? I'd argue it adds to the layered composition. Notice the triangle formed by her gaze, the harp's form, and the fall of light across her gown, with her adornments running along the lines and reinforcing it all. Editor: Absolutely. Her fashion too: a hat as symbol of class but made of straw. A similar material choice is present in her beaded jewelry and outfit decoration; it's so delicate that you know it can only last a short time. What statement is it attempting to make, especially as part of a promotional piece for Virginia Brights? Curator: Perhaps Allen & Ginter are drawing an intentional link. Consider: Brights as fleeting moments of pleasure. Lillian's image thus offered to the customer: an assurance of elegance through an indulgence to be consumed and forgotten, but one that would briefly possess beauty such as hers? Editor: A beautiful assessment! I hadn't thought of it in that way. Overall, one wonders what Lewis thought of all of this in her own day. I know my take away is feeling melancholy; that fame, beauty and youth cannot truly last. Curator: A powerful insight indeed. What might seem like a simple piece holds so much on further review.