Mlle. Legrande, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

"Mlle. Legrande, Paris" is a carte de visite, a type of photograph popular in the 19th century, created by Allen & Ginter as part of their "Actors and Actresses" series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The image depicts a woman, likely an actress, in a theatrical costume, standing in front of a backdrop. This card is a fascinating artifact, capturing the glamour of 19th-century theater and the burgeoning popularity of trading cards. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this small but detailed piece of social history.