Miss Morris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This small card featuring a portrait of Miss Morris was part of a series of collectible cards included in packs of Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Produced in the late 19th century in the United States by Allen & Ginter, these cards reflect a fascinating intersection of commerce, celebrity, and cultural values. Tobacco companies used these cards as a marketing strategy, capitalizing on the popularity of actresses to promote their products. The image itself, a demure profile, presents a carefully constructed image of feminine beauty and respectability, aligning the consumption of cigarettes with sophistication and social status. As historians, we can analyze these cards not just as advertisements but as artifacts that reveal the social and cultural landscape of the time. By consulting theater archives, newspapers, and other period sources, we can uncover the role of actresses in shaping public opinion, and the institutional forces that shaped the advertising industry. In this way, we understand art’s dependence on its historical context.