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

This is an advertising card from the Actors and Actresses series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, featuring Mlle. Rouvier, a ballerina in Paris. During the late 19th century, these cards were included in cigarette packs as a marketing strategy, capitalizing on the popularity and allure of performers. Rouvier, poised in a graceful arabesque, embodies the romantic ideal of the ballerina: a vision of femininity and ethereal beauty. Yet, this image is also deeply embedded in the context of commercialism and the male gaze. Ballerinas like Rouvier were celebrated, but their images were also commodified, reinforcing traditional gender roles and objectifying women for consumption. The card speaks to the complex position of female performers who were both admired for their talent and constrained by societal expectations. As such, Rouvier's serene expression belies the pressures and expectations placed upon her as a public figure. Consider how Rouvier's image, mass-produced and distributed with cigarettes, highlights the entanglement of art, commerce, and gender in shaping cultural ideals.