Card 770, Louise Paullin, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a carte-de-visite of Louise Paullin, made by Allen & Ginter sometime in the late 19th century, as one of a series of actresses used to promote Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The photograph itself is a collodion print, a process that allowed for mass reproduction. This was a key element in the rise of consumer culture. The card is small, cheap, and intended to be collected and traded. In this respect, it is less like a fine art object and more like printed ephemera. The image also speaks to the era's social context. Actresses, like Paullin, were among the first celebrities. As such, they became powerful figures in the world of advertising, lending their image to brands and products. Consider the amount of labor involved: from the cultivation of tobacco, to the manufacture of cigarettes, to the making and distribution of these cards, to the performance given by the actress herself. All this just to sell tobacco! These cards offer insight into the intersection of entertainment, advertising, and industry, blurring the lines between art, commerce, and social life.