Card 527, Olga Brandon, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 6) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have a piece called "Card 527, Olga Brandon, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 6) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes," dating from between 1885 and 1891, made by Allen & Ginter. It's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It feels quite intimate, almost like a glimpse into another era, but the advert aspect slightly muddles my interpretation. What strikes you about it? Curator: Well, consider for a moment how an image, even one advertising cigarettes, functions as a cultural carrier. Think of the 'actress' herself: what does she represent to the people consuming this image? The gaze, directed slightly away, hints at an interiority, an escape from direct engagement with the viewer. The series title, "Actors and Actresses," situates her as a representative of entertainment, desire, even aspiration. Editor: So, her portrait is almost a symbolic representation of entertainment itself? Curator: Precisely. And what does tobacco traditionally signify? Relaxation, pleasure, perhaps a hint of rebellion. The photograph becomes a fusion of those ideals, appealing to the viewer on multiple levels. Is it only about selling cigarettes, or about associating them with beauty, aspiration, and the captivating world of the stage? Look closely, can you see other embedded, archetypal imageries at play in this photograph? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn't considered the way seemingly simple advertisements can tap into deeper cultural symbols and desires. Curator: Images often do much more than simply depict what they appear to at face value. Editor: I see this small portrait in a new light. Thanks. Curator: Likewise. I am always excited when students recognize embedded imagery.