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

This albumen silver print of Mlle. Rositi was made as a promotional item for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The photographic process involves coating paper with a layer of egg white, then treating it with a silver nitrate solution to make it light-sensitive. The use of photography for commercial purposes, such as these cards, highlights the intersection of art, industry, and consumer culture. As a multiple, this image of a performer could be widely distributed, thus feeding the cult of celebrity. The intense labor required to create these images contrasts with their ultimate disposability, tucked into a pack of cigarettes and soon discarded. The very status of this object challenges our assumptions. Is it “fine art” because it is displayed in a museum? Or is it just a piece of ephemera, elevated by time and circumstance? Ultimately, the context in which an object is made and used deeply influences its cultural meaning.