M'lle Alencon, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: Here we have "M'lle Alencon, from the Actors and Actresses series" by Allen & Ginter, dating from around 1885 to 1891. It's a print drawing derived from a photograph, quite delicate. There’s a kind of wistful, ethereal quality to it... What do you find most captivating about this image? Curator: Oh, I'm so drawn to the sepia tones; they evoke such a potent sense of nostalgia, don’t they? This card comes from a set distributed with Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Imagine collecting actresses along with your smoke! It was another age entirely... And the gaze, averted, is really arresting. Where do you think she's looking? Editor: Perhaps towards her future? It’s interesting that it was included with cigarettes. So it's commercial art elevated by… history? I am struck by the slight contrast in detail of the background to the sharp rendering of her profile. What does this difference emphasize? Curator: The background feels a bit like a stage set. And the detail is all for *her*, isn't it? Allen & Ginter clearly wanted the collector to focus on this rising starlet as they opened the pack. But to your point - the combination elevates it beyond mere commercialism, don’t you agree? There is a certain ephemeral quality due to the photographic element, preserved on what is, essentially, card stock, which hints at fame, beauty, all of which, in time, will vanish like smoke. Editor: That’s a fascinating connection. I never thought of it that way before – fame as smoke. Thanks! Curator: And thank *you* for teasing that out! This card now sparks in me, like a memory resurfacing.