Card 657, Miss Hart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This 19th-century trade card, part of the “Actors and Actresses” series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, features a portrait of Miss Hart. Created by Allen & Ginter, the card showcases a simple yet elegant image of the actress, likely captured using the carte de visite process, a popular photographic format of the time. This small-scale, collectible card is a prime example of the widespread use of trade cards for advertising in the late 19th century. The card is currently part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York City.