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

This photograph of Mlle. Bedame was made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes as part of their Actors and Actresses series. It's a small card, made using photographic printing techniques of the late 19th century. What's fascinating here is the convergence of industries: tobacco, entertainment, and photography. Each cigarette card like this was essentially a miniature advertisement, made possible by innovations in mass production. The photographic process allowed for the relatively quick reproduction of images on a paper substrate. The image itself is carefully posed, with Mlle. Bedame presented as an object of desire. Consider the labor involved in the staging and the making of these images, contrasted with the ease of their distribution and consumption, tucked into packs of cigarettes. These cards were not just ephemera; they were cultural artifacts that blurred the lines between art, entertainment, and commerce. By understanding the materials, the making, and the context, we can read these cards as complex documents of their time.