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

Editor: This is “May Levinge, from the Actors and Actresses series," created by Allen & Ginter between 1885 and 1891. It's a small photographic print, originally made for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It strikes me as both intimate and quite strange, especially her outfit! What's your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Well, let’s consider what May Levinge represents. She’s not just a woman, but an actress featured on a cigarette card. What kind of symbolism can we unpack there? Editor: Maybe celebrity culture? It seems like a very early form of product endorsement. Curator: Precisely! Cigarette cards often showcased ideals of beauty and success. May’s theatrical garb, while strange to our eyes, signified performance and perhaps a sense of exoticism during that time. Notice the Turkish-style vest; what connotations does that bring to mind? Editor: Adventure? Otherness? I guess it's selling more than just cigarettes; it’s selling a fantasy. Curator: Exactly. This image becomes a tiny, portable emblem of aspiration. What is projected here isn’t only May, but what she stands *for*—a doorway to a life of entertainment and possibility that is made available via consumerism. Consider the cultural memory being created here, where personal identity intertwines with marketed images of fame and desire. Editor: So, it’s about connecting consumers to a larger narrative? I hadn’t considered how much the image communicates beyond just the surface level. Curator: Indeed. Every element of the image contributes to the ongoing symbolism, from fashion to celebrity, echoing the ever-changing values and desires embedded in our culture. Editor: I hadn’t thought of this image having such deep cultural significance. It shows how much our perception is built from seemingly mundane images.