From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This small card was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. It depicts a portrait of an actress, her gaze directed upward. This motif of upward-looking eyes has a rich history across various cultures and time periods. We find it in religious art, where figures look towards the heavens, seeking divine inspiration, a symbol connecting the earthly to the celestial. Think of countless depictions of saints and madonnas. The gesture conveys a sense of hope and aspiration and suggests a connection to something beyond the mundane, a psychological yearning. The actress presented here is not a saint, but a performer. Does she look for inspiration? Or is she waiting for her queue? This same gesture appears in modern advertising, where it subtly influences the viewer to look beyond their current reality toward the promise of a better future. It is the same symbol, yet one that has been reborn in a new context.