Edwin Booth, from the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 1) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This small promotional card of Edwin Booth from the Actresses and Celebrities series was printed by Allen & Ginter for their Little Beauties Cigarettes. Immediately, the sepia tones and compact format evoke a sense of nostalgia, a relic of a bygone era. The composition is neatly divided: Booth occupies the upper two-thirds, his figure a study in contrasts. Note how the soft focus lends a theatrical air, turning the actor into a semiotic symbol of dramatic intensity. Consider the interplay between the image of Booth and the surrounding text. The brand name, "Little Beauties Cigarettes," creates a tension with the serious demeanor of the actor. This juxtaposition destabilizes the expected relationship between advertising and celebrity endorsement, suggesting that the cigarette brand is elevating itself through association with high culture. Ultimately, the card functions as a cultural artifact, encapsulating the late 19th-century’s fascination with celebrity and the burgeoning advertising industry.