M'lle Arline, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This card featuring M'lle Arline was produced by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes in the late 19th century. These cards were not primarily intended as art, but as promotional items, reflecting the burgeoning advertising industry in America. The image itself creates meaning through cultural references and historical associations. Actresses, like M'lle Arline, were among the first celebrities, and their images were highly sought after. But why put them on cigarette cards? This was a deliberate choice to associate the product with glamour and sophistication, appealing to a specific demographic. The image flirts with ideas of femininity and allure that were carefully managed by performers at the time, particularly in an age of strict social codes. To understand the full context, one might research the history of tobacco advertising, the role of women in entertainment, and the social norms of the Gilded Age. Art is always contingent on social and institutional context.