Card 303, Vernoni Jarbeau, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Curator: Immediately, I’m drawn to the soft tonality—an almost dreamlike quality. Is this warmth intended to invite, or is there something else at play? Editor: Let’s contextualize it. This is “Card 303, Vernoni Jarbeau,” a piece from the Actors and Actresses series created between 1885 and 1891 for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Allen & Ginter were tapping into celebrity culture to sell tobacco. Curator: Indeed. The figure is centered, the composition fairly straightforward. Note the careful arrangement of her hair, cascading curls providing texture and frame to the face, drawing us into an almost hypnotic gaze. It adheres closely to academic artistic conventions. Editor: And reinforces very specific ideals of feminine beauty at the time—ideals used to push a product that, let's remember, was actively harmful, especially to women, who were increasingly being targeted by tobacco companies. What’s romantic to some is complicit to others. Curator: Fair, but observe the balance of light and shadow across Jarbeau’s face—how the chiaroscuro models her features. It isn’t merely about pushing a product; it’s about aesthetically elevating an image through artistic technique. This careful contrast imbues the image with vitality. Editor: That very "vitality," sold at the expense of the same people buying cigarettes! We can appreciate artistic skill, certainly, but also acknowledge the context in which it was employed. This card, with its seemingly innocent portrait, served to normalize and promote the tobacco industry’s grip on society. Curator: Still, I can’t deny the image's seductive appeal. The artist successfully captures something intimate, personal. This feeling is due to the use of depth created with delicate lines. The photograph and drawing seem in conversation to find an idealized beauty. Editor: And by probing beneath its attractive veneer, hopefully, we’ve encouraged a slightly more critical and historically grounded engagement with this object. Curator: Hopefully, you'll be inspired to observe, question, and appreciate the visual language being offered by works such as these.