From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 4) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card, part of the Actors and Actresses series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, was produced by Allen & Ginter. It’s a small chromolithograph, a color print made using multiple lithographic stones. These cards were essentially advertisements, mass-produced using industrial printing techniques. In this case, it's a montage of actresses, a series of portraits within a single frame. The material itself – thin, coated cardstock – speaks to its ephemerality, intended for fleeting consumption along with the cigarettes they accompanied. The choice of color palette, subdued and elegant, aimed to associate the product with refinement and luxury. The production process involved a division of labor, from photography to printing, binding, and distribution. This reflects the broader industrialization of culture, where celebrity and commerce became intertwined. It challenges our conventional ideas about fine art, since its value lies not in its uniqueness, but in its circulation.