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

Editor: Here we have a photographic print, "Lillian Russell," produced between 1885 and 1891 by Allen & Ginter as part of a series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. I'm struck by how it presents Russell. She seems both confident and ornamental, almost like an object to be consumed alongside the cigarettes. What’s your take? Curator: You’ve hit upon something crucial. These celebrity endorsements were integral to the burgeoning consumer culture of the late 19th century. It's impossible to separate this image from the commodification of women's images, and how this shaped popular notions of femininity and desirability. The male gaze is prominent here. The cigarette card reduces Russell to an attractive figure, divorced from any agency beyond her appearance. Note also the striped dress – almost flag-like – that is not an accident in the nationalistic fervor prevalent during this period. How might Russell's identity as a performer complicate or resist this objectification, do you think? Editor: That's fascinating. Perhaps her status as a performer, someone already in the public eye, gave her some leverage, or at least made her image more valuable to advertisers? Curator: Precisely. Yet we must recognize the unequal power dynamics at play. Even celebrated actresses were still operating within a patriarchal structure that constrained their choices and controlled their representations. The image exists to sell a product, reinforcing societal expectations about beauty and success tied to consumption. What do you feel is the message sent to women consumers? Editor: It’s unsettling to think about the layered messaging, about needing to buy something to reach some ideal presented. It makes me consider all the present-day echoes we continue to deal with today. Curator: Exactly. By interrogating these images, we understand the roots of today's image economy and its impacts.