Mlle. Beaumaine, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: This is “Mlle. Beaumaine, Paris,” part of the "Actors and Actresses" series produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, dating from around 1885 to 1891. It's a small print, combining photography and etching, typical of trade cards at the time. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the textures. The rough, almost geological, forms to her left contrasting with the silky drape behind her. There's also the rigid corset against her soft flesh. What are these materials trying to communicate? Curator: The actress portraits were designed to associate the Virginia Brights brand with glamour and sophistication. Actresses were among the most visible women in the 19th century, becoming early celebrity figures. The series tapped into that popularity, aiming for cultural cachet by association. Editor: It's fascinating how a simple cigarette card encapsulates so much about Victorian labor, materiality, and celebrity culture. You have the actress’s labor, performing, dressing, and posing, then the labor of Allen & Ginter churning these out, each one an invitation to buy the next pack, fueling more tobacco industry labor! Curator: Indeed. Allen & Ginter used the popular etching process as well as lithography, offering mass production techniques which brought art to the masses... in the form of tobacco promotion. The ukiyo-e influence shows in the staged setting of the photograph too. Editor: Mass-produced, yes, but also intimate. People carried these, traded them. Each card becomes imbued with the labor of exchange, social connection as they handle this artifact! What a fascinating way to spread an advertising campaign to gain commercial exposure. Curator: It highlights the pervasive commercialization of culture even in the late 19th century. These images helped solidify consumerist desires, using actresses to promote aspirational lifestyles linked to a new product. Editor: Ultimately, this little card reveals big stories of production and representation—a material reminder of how our desires and labor intertwine in the creation and consumption of…well, almost everything, including art. Curator: It's a potent reminder of how closely tied cultural icons, industrial production, and advertising truly are—and continue to be today. These fleeting material culture sources certainly provide revealing reflections on our social history.