Miss Estelle Clinton, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a promotional card for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, featuring Miss Estelle Clinton, one of many actors and actresses of the time. The card, a humble piece of paper, belies the scale of production behind it. Printed in vast numbers, these cards were inserted into cigarette packs, enticing customers with images of popular figures. While seemingly simple, their creation involved photography, printing, and the labor of factory workers, all working within the burgeoning culture of mass production and consumption. The sepia tone, the smooth surface of the card, the very fact that it was given away, all speak to its intended purpose: to be collected, traded, and ultimately, to sell more cigarettes. This was a very different mode of image production than a painting, say, or even a photograph intended for display. So, next time you light up, consider the complex network of materials, making, and marketing that brings even the smallest objects into being.