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

Editor: This is Mlle. Couralet from the Actors and Actresses series made by Allen & Ginter between 1885 and 1891. It’s a drawing and print based on photography, and I find the portrait quite theatrical. What kind of stories do you see here? Curator: Theatrical indeed. The subject's pose, combined with the costume, feels steeped in symbolism. Look at the elaborate details in her garb - each bead, each fold suggests a deliberate crafting of identity. These theatrical cards acted as symbolic vessels, didn’t they, for the aspirations and fantasies of their consumers, inviting people into the spectacle of performance and fame? Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about it in terms of fantasy, just in terms of marketing cigarettes. Curator: But consider what those cigarettes represented at that time! They weren’t just tobacco; they were sophistication, modernity, aspiration. These cards offered miniature portals into glamorous worlds, amplifying the perceived allure. What about her pose – what emotions does it evoke for you? Editor: I get a sense of weariness or perhaps contemplation, the artist captures this intimate, reflective moment behind the performance. But I suppose this ‘realness’ is carefully constructed, too, right? Curator: Exactly. The “authentic” and the “performed” blur together. That expression, the angle of her head – all contribute to a narrative far beyond a simple advertisement. This interplay of image and expectation created enduring symbols in the cultural memory. What do you take away from that idea? Editor: I see now how these objects, initially created for commerce, can transcend their original purpose and become historical and cultural artifacts that reflect our desires and fantasies, and perhaps continue to feed them, too. Curator: Precisely. These cards are rich in multiple layers of meaning that persist.