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

Editor: This is a photograph, almost sepia-toned, of Mamie Goss, an actress. It's from a series called "Actors and Actresses" produced between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The first thing that strikes me is how this feels like a carefully constructed image, from her expression to the striped dress. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the accoutrements – the feathered fan, the small hat, the very *texture* of her hair – as emblems of a carefully constructed femininity, meant to be consumed. Think of these images as tiny cultural time capsules. These details acted as symbols, immediately recognizable to contemporary viewers. The fan, for example, signaled both status and a certain flirtatious coyness. Do you see how that contrasts with, say, a modern celebrity photograph? Editor: I do, yes! Modern photographs feel more immediate, while this feels staged. Curator: Exactly. The "staging" speaks volumes. What values are being projected here? The respectability conveyed by the tightly-laced bodice? The slight upward glance of the eyes? Cigarette companies often appropriated high-culture symbols, to give the consumer some kind of high status by association. Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn’t considered it as social messaging, as well as commercial. The cigarette company's name appearing below makes sense in that light. Curator: Consider this a glimpse into the symbolic language of late 19th-century America – a language that's still echoing today, even if we only pick up on it unconsciously. What this image has retained culturally can offer a lot for the interpretation of current popular trends as well. Editor: Thanks, I’ll definitely look at advertising with new eyes.