Card 698, Maud Wentworth, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Allen & Ginter crafted this photograph of Maud Wentworth as a cigarette card, a sign of its time. The profile view presents a study of idealized beauty, not unlike that of a classical sculpture. Think of ancient Roman portraiture, which sought to capture not just likeness, but also the virtues associated with the sitter. Wentworth's gaze, directed off to the side, evokes a sense of wistful reflection, pulling us into her inner world. Consider Botticelli's Venus, emerging from the sea. Like Venus, Wentworth embodies an ideal of beauty, her loose hair reminiscent of the goddess's flowing locks. This romantic style, carefully reproduced, subtly connects Wentworth to a lineage of feminine ideals, revealing how images transcend time, echoing and evolving across generations. This highlights our collective memory and subconscious desire.