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

Editor: This is “Mlle. Cafferl” from the Actors and Actresses series by Allen & Ginter, dating from around 1885 to 1891. It's a small print combining etching and photography. It's very striking how this piece aims to depict this woman. What can you tell me about its cultural context? Curator: The "Actors and Actresses" series is so revealing about the late 19th century's commodification of fame. Here, Mlle. Cafferl is transformed into a collectible object, a fetishized image. What does it mean to take an actress, a performer whose power resides in their presence, and reduce them to a card distributed with cigarettes? Consider the male gaze inherent in this process. How might this objectification have impacted Mlle. Cafferl's agency, her ability to control her own image and narrative? Editor: I see what you mean. The print format really turns a person into a disposable image. It is also an interesting example of advertising using famous actresses, like influencers. It looks so…fragile and fleeting. How were women perceived during that time and did being a famous actress have advantages? Curator: The late 19th century witnessed a struggle for women's rights, but also deeply entrenched societal expectations. Actresses, while admired, occupied an ambivalent space, often viewed as transgressive figures. To be visible as an actress, Mlle. Cafferl had to embrace her perceived identity, a potential battle against the male-dominated status quo. Editor: So this card is not just an image, it is an interpretation. I wonder if she approved. Curator: Precisely! By analyzing such objects, we uncover complex narratives about power, gender, and representation that still resonate today. Thank you for offering insight to the project with an open mind and inquisitive curiosity! Editor: Thanks to you. I hadn't considered that this little card contains such complex layers of social commentary.