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

Curator: This small print, dating from between 1885 and 1891, is titled "Lasouche, Variettees" and comes from a series of "Actors and Actresses" created for Virginia Brights Cigarettes by Allen & Ginter. Editor: It has such a faded, delicate look. I’m immediately struck by how time has affected the material. The yellowing paper adds this layer of wistful nostalgia to the portrait, doesn't it? Curator: Absolutely. These cards were originally meant to be collected, traded, and discarded, a far cry from museum display. Allen and Ginter, like other tobacco companies, recognized the promotional value in associating their product with celebrity. This particular image speaks to the rise of consumer culture. Editor: Precisely. It makes me think about the labor involved. This image likely began as a photograph, then it was reproduced en masse as a chromolithograph. How many hands touched it during that process? Also, I wonder about Lasouche himself. Do we know if he got any benefits from having his likeness peddling cigarettes? Curator: The documentation is unclear on payment. In the late 19th century, such exploitations were rampant and reflect broader power structures within the entertainment industry, as the rise of celebrities are inherently political as a reflection of societal preferences. The “Actors and Actresses” series presented figures primarily to enhance brand identity and normalize tobacco usage. Editor: It’s strange to see this level of craft used to advertise something now known to be so harmful. Thinking of the economic and social context is critical: affordable pleasures like these offered an escape. Curator: That duality—between artistry and commercialism, pleasure and peril—encapsulates a key tension in the Gilded Age. This portrait provides a snapshot into the ways images could influence desires and fuel industries. Editor: Considering its production, materials, and the hidden labor behind this, my appreciation for the image increases; it isn’t just a portrait. Curator: Indeed. These images played a critical, albeit often unseen, role in shaping tastes and reinforcing social values of the period.