From the Actresses series (N57) promoting Our Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1890

Editor: Here we have a lithographic print from 1890, "From the Actresses series (N57) promoting Our Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products." It depicts a woman seated, smoking... it has this sort of provocative vibe, given it was an advertisement for cigarettes. What can you tell me about it? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider how tobacco companies deployed imagery, especially targeting emerging demographics like women in the late 19th century. Does anything strike you about the setting or her pose? Editor: Well, her pose feels quite casual, confident almost. The outdoor setting, juxtaposed with the advertisement's focus, feels almost contradictory. Was this sort of thing typical back then? Curator: Absolutely. Tobacco cards functioned as miniature artworks that normalized the habit, aiming for cultural cachet. Notice how the “actress” blends refinement, through her attire, and accessibility via her outdoor locale. Think about what image this juxtaposition creates for the product being sold. Editor: So the casual setting kind of removes some of the association of cigarette smoking with wealthy folks only? It feels kind of transgressive and forward-thinking for the era? Curator: Precisely! Allen & Ginter weren’t just selling cigarettes; they were selling a lifestyle, a projected image of modernity. And, of course, reinforcing particular gender roles. Consider, who do you think the advertisement was mainly directed at, the smoker, or someone else? Editor: That makes so much sense. Thinking about how ads work and their social effects…it's always more complex than a simple image. Curator: Indeed. The “Our Little Beauties” campaign shows how advertising insinuated itself into everyday life and how cultural values and desires were exploited through visual means. I've never thought that deep about cigarettes! Thanks!