Pixie and Dido, from the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 2) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This small card, 'Pixie and Dido, from the Actresses and Celebrities series', was manufactured by Allen & Ginter, using photographic and printing techniques that were advanced for their time. The photographic image would have been captured on a glass plate negative, and then printed in multiples onto light-sensitive paper. A key feature of this artwork is its role as a promotional item. Inserted into packs of Allen & Ginter cigarettes, the cards were designed to entice consumers with images of popular actresses and celebrities. The 'Little Beauties' series, of which this card is a part, suggests a focus on child performers, tying into Victorian notions of innocence, domesticity, and, of course, consumerism. Consider the labor involved in the production of such an object: from the cultivation of tobacco, to the manufacture of cigarettes, to the printing and distribution of these cards. The commodification of childhood, through entertainment and advertising, raises complex questions about value, labor, and the ways in which cultural figures are produced and consumed.