Lotta, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 7) for Dixie Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This cabinet card of Lotta, from the Actors and Actresses series, was created by Allen & Ginter for Dixie Cigarettes. These cards emerged in a time when the burgeoning advertising industry used images of popular figures to market products, subtly weaving celebrity endorsements into everyday life. Here, Lotta, a popular actress of the time, is depicted in a pose that captures both her playfulness and her appeal. The bottles on the table and the way she has propped her foot, suggest a certain carelessness; a casualness marketed to men buying and using tobacco. The card operates in the complex space of celebrity, gender, and commerce. Lotta, in agreeing to participate in this advertisement, became both a subject and an agent in shaping her public persona. These images not only sold cigarettes, but also, sold an idea of femininity that was performative, desirable, and accessible. The seemingly innocent card reflects the intricate ways in which identity, desire, and consumer culture are intertwined.