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

This card, part of a series featuring actors and actresses, was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It’s a photographic print, a relatively new technology at the time, reproduced on a small scale for mass consumption. Consider the card not just as an image, but as a commodity. It speaks volumes about the burgeoning entertainment industry, and how celebrity was being manufactured and disseminated through industrial means. Photography allowed for the mass production of images, turning performers like Carlotta Brianza into widely recognizable figures, even for those who couldn't afford to attend the ballet. These cards were essentially miniature billboards inserted into cigarette packs, enticing consumers with a glimpse into a glamorous world. The amount of labor involved in producing thousands of these cards, each a tiny fragment of a larger commercial enterprise, is worth contemplating. This mass production democratized access to art, but also commodified it, blurring the lines between artistic expression, advertising, and the everyday habits of consumption.