Belle Urquhart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This photograph of Belle Urquhart was made by Allen and Ginter, as part of the Actors and Actresses series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It’s a small paper print, likely mass-produced using photographic techniques adapted to the printing press. The photograph is a direct product of its time, reflecting the rise of consumer culture and mass media. It was not created as a standalone work of art but as a collectible insert, a marketing tool designed to promote a brand of cigarettes. The image would have been one of many, churned out in large quantities, each copy a material testament to industrial efficiency and the commodification of celebrity. Consider the labor involved: from the photographers and printers to the factory workers who packaged these cards with tobacco, it encapsulates a network of production. It blurs boundaries between art, advertising, and everyday life, reminding us that all objects, even the most ephemeral, are embedded in social and economic systems.