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

Editor: This is "Annie Summerville, from the Actors and Actresses series" made between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter, and it's a photograph printed as a collectible card for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It strikes me as a really interesting example of advertising art; there's an undeniable element of performative femininity being sold along with the cigarettes. What's your perspective on this work? Curator: It's easy to dismiss this as just an advertising card, but I see it as a fascinating lens through which to examine the objectification of women in the late 19th century. Consider the targeted audience: primarily men, consuming images of idealized, often sexualized, women like Annie Summerville. How does this card, and others like it, reinforce patriarchal structures and define beauty standards? Editor: So it's not just about selling cigarettes, but about solidifying societal norms? Curator: Precisely. The erotic undertones aren't accidental; they're calculated to appeal to a specific demographic and perpetuate certain ideas about female identity. Think about the power dynamics at play: a woman's image being commodified and distributed for male consumption. How does that affect our understanding of her agency? Editor: I see what you mean. It’s like her image is being used as currency in a male-dominated society. What about the actress herself? Does knowing she was an actress change your reading of the image? Curator: It adds another layer of complexity. Actresses held a precarious position, often celebrated but also stigmatized. This card could be seen as contributing to that ambiguity, both promoting and exploiting her image. And the backdrop of a faux Egyptian sculpture gives an interesting, yet clearly Orientalist element too. This reinforces the exoticism of the female image on display here. Do you think that affects our viewing? Editor: Definitely. Thanks for highlighting those aspects, I’d only considered the obvious. Now I see it reveals a deeper conversation about the construction of female identity and the cultural politics embedded in what seems like a simple cigarette card.