From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card from the "Actors and Actresses" series was produced for Virginia Brights Cigarettes in the United States during the late 19th century. These cards were designed to promote the brand, but also reflect the cultural values and aspirations of the time. They were often collected and traded, becoming a form of popular entertainment and social currency. The imagery of famous actresses reinforced the emerging celebrity culture of the period, and contributed to the idealization of women in the public sphere. The fact that the actress is associated with a tobacco product also speaks volumes about the social norms around smoking at the time, and its increasing association with glamour. Looking at this image and others like it, historians might consult advertising archives, social histories of the period, and cultural studies of celebrity and consumerism to better understand this intriguing intersection of art, commerce, and society.