Actress in costume, from the Actresses series (N664) promoting Old Fashion Fine Cut Tobacco
Unknown Artist
1888–90
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 3/8 in. × 2 in. (8.5 × 5.1 cm)
Classification
Photographs|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
Burdick 230, N664.87
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century American advertising with *Actress in Costume, from the Actresses (N664)*, a petite albumen photograph produced between 1888 and 1890. Measuring just 3⅜ × 2 inches, this delicate print captures a glamorous actress in her theatrical garb, her pose exuding the charisma that made performers like her cultural icons. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg whites and silver salts, were the gold standard for photography at the time, delivering sharp details and rich tonal warmth ideal for mass-produced ephemera. This piece is a classic trade c...