Card 288, Evelyn Granville, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Allen & Ginter produced this card of Evelyn Granville for Virginia Brights Cigarettes as part of their Actors and Actresses series. These cards offer a snapshot of American popular culture and its commercial entanglements. In the late 19th century, the commodification of actors and actresses through cigarette cards speaks to a culture grappling with celebrity and representation. Granville, captured in a moment of poised reflection, invites questions about the performance of identity. The image exists to promote and sell Virginia Brights Cigarettes, it transforms Granville into a symbol of aspiration. The card, small as it is, embodies tensions between art, commerce, and the evolving roles of women in the public eye. It serves as a reminder of the complex relationships between representation and consumer culture that continue to shape our perceptions today.