Mlle. Dimitri, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photograph of Mlle. Dimitri, made by Allen & Ginter, as part of the Actors and Actresses series to promote Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The late 19th century saw the rise of commercial culture and advertising, and these cards were part of that. They offer us a window into the popular imagination, and how performers were marketed. Consider the layers of performance and identity at play here. Mlle. Dimitri, an actress, is presented in a way that exoticizes her, playing into orientalist fantasies. The card flattens the complexities of her identity, reducing her to a marketable image. These images were circulated widely, shaping perceptions of femininity and race. How do these early forms of advertising continue to influence contemporary media representation, and how do they shape our understanding of identity today?