From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This 19th-century, sepia-toned photograph, part of the *From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes*, features a bust-length portrait of a woman, her face turned toward the viewer. Her gaze is downcast, and her long hair flows around her shoulders. This was part of a collection of trading cards produced by Allen & Ginter, a tobacco company known for creating some of the first mass-produced trading cards in the United States. The image exemplifies the aesthetic of the Victorian era, where actresses and actors were considered influential figures and their images were widely sought after. This card, now preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a small yet significant piece of both entertainment and commercial history.