M'lle Sarah, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: This is "M'lle Sarah," a print from the Actors and Actresses series by Allen & Ginter, dating to sometime between 1885 and 1891. It’s fascinating; the pose feels very deliberate and theatrical. What do you see in this piece, looking beyond just the surface? Curator: I see a layered commentary on celebrity, consumerism, and gender within the late 19th-century context. These trade cards, included with Virginia Brights Cigarettes, weren't just innocent collectibles. They participated in the objectification of women, especially actresses like Sarah, by turning them into commodities to be consumed along with tobacco. Consider the power dynamics at play: Sarah's image is being used to sell a product, reinforcing societal expectations of women as objects of beauty and desire. What do you think about the implications of linking Sarah’s image with cigarettes? Editor: It's unsettling to think about how her image was essentially being used to promote a habit that we now know is harmful. Did Sarah and other actresses have any control over this? Curator: Likely very little. This was a period of intense industrialization and burgeoning mass media. Women, particularly those in the public eye, often had limited agency over how their images were circulated and used. Her gaze, though seemingly direct, feels manufactured, a performance for the male gaze encouraged by burgeoning capitalist desires. Can you imagine her actual experiences and how different it must have been from this image? Editor: I guess it's easy to forget that even photographs can be staged and manipulated. This trade card serves both as an advertisement and an idealization of femininity for the era. Curator: Precisely. And examining these images allows us to critique the historical roots of exploitation and objectification that, in many ways, continue to shape contemporary society. Editor: I see it. Looking at this image now makes me think differently about the casual ways advertising works, then and now, to commodify people. Curator: Exactly, this is an entry point to reflect upon ongoing systems of representation.