Mlle. La Coulue, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

This small card from Goodwin & Company’s “Actors and Actresses” series was created to promote Old Judge Cigarettes. It captures Mlle. La Coulue, a performer in Paris, during a time when the female body was both celebrated and commodified. Cards like this were not just advertisements; they offered a glimpse into the cultural values of the late 19th century. Mlle. La Coulue, with her elaborate costume and poised stance, embodies a certain ideal of feminine allure, designed to sell cigarettes. But her identity as a performer also challenges the more rigid social norms of the time, offering an alternative narrative of female agency and visibility. It makes you wonder about the lives of these women, who navigated the public eye while grappling with personal freedoms and societal expectations. Ultimately, this card serves as a poignant reminder of how the female image has been historically used to shape desires, while also offering a stage for women to express their identities, even within the confines of a commercial context.