Ugalde, Des Bouffes, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: It has such a theatrical flair, doesn’t it? Sort of swashbuckling. Editor: Indeed. Here we have "Ugalde, Des Bouffes," from the "Actors and Actresses" series, created by Allen & Ginter between 1885 and 1891. It was actually produced as a collectible card for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. A miniature marvel of late 19th-century advertising. Curator: A cigarette card! Imagine slipping that into your pack… What a treasure. The sepia tones give it such a sense of timelessness. She looks like she's about to leap off a stage. Editor: These cards were hugely popular. Collecting them became a widespread craze. They were little windows onto celebrity culture, popular entertainment, and expanding consumerism of the Gilded Age. Curator: I love how the artist has captured a real sense of character. Look at the confident gaze and the casual crossing of her arms. I can almost hear her singing. She certainly has an alluring look! Editor: Absolutely! Ugalde was a well-known operetta singer. This portrait, along with many others in the series, provided fans a chance to feel closer to the stage. It's really interesting to consider how art played a role in crafting celebrity images. Curator: Makes you wonder if they truly captured the real person or projected a brand, which seems all too relevant even today! I think there is an ethereal yet slightly performative look. It reminds me that images always carry so many hidden narratives. Editor: It is, at its heart, an example of how art and commerce have long been intertwined. The image exists both as art and as a marketing tool, deeply rooted in the historical forces shaping leisure and the growth of advertising. Curator: So next time, when lighting a smoke… ponder the intriguing intersection of art and consumer culture! Editor: Indeed, let's not forget these tiny relics which continue to unveil such large questions about art, representation, and commerce even to this very day.