Les Petites, Godin, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This lithograph of "Les Petites, Godin" was created by Allen & Ginter as part of their "Actors and Actresses" series to promote Virginia Brights Cigarettes in late nineteenth-century America. The image shows three performers, presumably from a theatrical production by Godin. The association of actors with cigarettes speaks to the growing culture of celebrity endorsements and the blurring lines between art and commerce. But the question remains, who did these images promote? Was it the actors, the theater, or the cigarettes themselves? This type of advertising card became ubiquitous, reflecting the rise of mass media. To understand the full context of this small card, we might research the history of advertising, popular theatre, and the cultural values attached to both acting and smoking in 1880s America. This kind of work helps us understand the complex social networks in which art is always embedded.