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

This card featuring Fräulein Ilga was made in the late 19th century by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It’s a lithograph, a type of printmaking that allowed for mass production. Cards like this were included in cigarette packs as a marketing tactic. Series such as "Actors and Actresses" offered consumers collectible images that created a public fascination with celebrity. In a rapidly industrializing America, the theater offered a space for entertainment and escape, and actors became figures of aspiration. This card, then, speaks to the rise of consumer culture and the power of advertising in shaping social values. These cards are valuable historical documents, offering insights into the era's popular culture and the relationship between commerce and entertainment. By consulting archives and historical databases we can unpack the social meanings embedded in this seemingly simple image. The study of such objects help us understand art as a product of specific historical and institutional forces.