Mlle. Marceline, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

Editor: This is “Mlle. Marceline, Paris” from the “Actors and Actresses” series by Allen & Ginter, dating from the late 1880s. It's a small print, originally a cigarette card. There’s a theatricality to the image – she’s leaning against what looks like a stage prop. What strikes you about it? Curator: What I see is a deliberate construction of identity, intertwined with commerce and performance. Consider the context: Cigarette cards emerged as a marketing tactic. This image flattens agency and reinforces social hierarchy. How does commodifying artistry through something as commonplace as cigarette cards change the way we relate to both art and the female form? Editor: That's interesting. So, it’s not just a portrait, but also a form of advertising and social commentary all rolled into one? I hadn’t thought about the power dynamics. Curator: Precisely! Also note the Japonisme influence, a 19th-century phenomenon that intersected European culture with Japanese art. We can read a nuanced story here that examines class, consumer culture, and the construction of femininity through an orientalist lens. Think about how these images entered homes, shaping perceptions and reinforcing dominant ideologies. What does it mean to have a culture mass produce and sell images of women on small cards? Editor: It does bring a different perspective. Viewing it this way highlights some uncomfortable questions about the commercialization of everything, including people. Curator: Exactly. Examining this piece through an intersectional lens makes us aware of how systems of oppression function, even in seemingly harmless objects like cigarette cards. Editor: I never thought about it that deeply! I’ll definitely view art with more awareness now. Curator: And I, in turn, will benefit from this newfound perspective moving forward!