Mlle. Tanesi, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Allen and Ginter created this card of Mlle. Tanesi as part of a series to be included in packs of Virginia Brights Cigarettes. These cards reflect the increasing commercialization and celebrity culture of the late 19th century. Here, Mlle. Tanesi is presented as a vision of white, feminine beauty, her coy gaze carefully designed to appeal to the presumed male smoker. As with many images of women at this time, her identity is flattened. She is reduced to an object of consumption, mirroring the cigarette packs in which her image was placed. These cards were immensely popular, offering a glimpse into the glamorous world of actors and actresses. But they also served to reinforce societal expectations around gender and celebrity. Mlle. Tanesi's image speaks volumes about the complex interplay between identity, representation, and consumer culture in a rapidly changing world.