Card 421, Louise Chester, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card featuring Louise Chester was produced by Allen and Ginter of Richmond, Virginia, as a promotional insert for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, at an undetermined date. Such cards, popular in the late 19th century, reveal much about the cultural values of the time. Actresses, like Louise Chester, were among the celebrities whose images were widely circulated, reflecting the growing importance of the entertainment industry and the public's fascination with fame. But more crucially the card speaks to the entwining of leisure, consumption, and image culture as tobacco companies used these cards to enhance their brand. The image itself, a carefully posed portrait, presents Chester as a figure of beauty and elegance, conforming to the aesthetic standards of the period. The commercial context of the card is essential to understanding its meaning. Analyzing the formal elements of the portrait alongside archival research into the Allen & Ginter company, the careers of actresses, and the history of advertising, allows us to more fully understand the social and cultural dynamics that shaped its production and reception.