M'lle Winship, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, featuring M'lle Winship, was printed by Allen & Ginter as a promotional item for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The photographic image, mass-produced, speaks volumes about commerce meeting celebrity in the late 19th century. Consider the materiality of the card itself: thin, easily produced, and distributed. It reflects an industrial mode of production, where images could be replicated and disseminated widely. The photograph, originally a unique object, becomes a commodity, bundled with another commodity, cigarettes. This speaks to a new relationship between production, consumption, and the construction of fame. Winship, the actress, is herself part of this equation. Photography gave rise to celebrity culture, while mass production meant her image could circulate, tied to the branding of cigarettes. The labor involved in tobacco farming, manufacturing, and marketing is all subtly present in this small card. This artwork is a reminder that even seemingly insignificant objects carry layers of meaning, tied to the economies and social structures of their time. It invites us to look beyond the image and consider the complex networks of production and consumption that give rise to the object itself.