Dollie Ames, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a collectible card, made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The card is part of a series called 'Actors and Actresses'. The image shows Dollie Ames, a stage actress of the late 19th century. Produced in the United States, this card speaks to the intertwined relationship between commerce, celebrity, and cultural values. Cigarette cards like these served as promotional tools, inserted into cigarette packs to encourage brand loyalty. The choice of actors and actresses as subjects reflects the growing popularity of theater and the rise of celebrity culture during this time. What does it mean when the tobacco industry is using images of women to sell a dangerous product? If we want to understand the place of this card in the history of art, we might consult databases of popular culture. More broadly, the card represents the social conditions that shape artistic production and reception.