Card 305, Aime & Angele, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: This is "Card 305, Aime & Angele" from the Actors and Actresses series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, made by Allen & Ginter between 1885 and 1891. It's a small albumen print. The two figures seem so staged and posed. What should we make of it? Curator: Well, think about the context. These cards were included in cigarette packs, primarily targeted at a male audience. How does that framing influence the image we see? Editor: It makes me think of it as more of a commercial product than art. The image is there to sell cigarettes, not to make a statement. Curator: Exactly. And who are these women? Actresses. Think about the rise of celebrity culture in the late 19th century. These cards helped to create and disseminate images of idealized femininity and entertainment. It is genre painting through a different medium and intent, almost like celebrity trading cards. Editor: So it’s not just about beauty, it is more about consumerism and advertisement! I wonder how the actresses themselves felt about being used this way. Curator: That's a crucial question to ask! We have to consider their agency, or lack thereof, in the creation and distribution of these images. The photograph normalizes women as commodities that one can literally acquire through purchasing a product. What implications does this have for society? Editor: Wow, I hadn’t thought about it like that. It really makes you see the picture, and cigarette marketing, in a different, darker, light. Thank you. Curator: You’re welcome. It’s all about seeing the bigger picture beyond the image itself.