Anonymous actress, from the Actresses series (T123, Type 2), issued by Neil McCoull Co. to promote Syrian Princess Egyptian Cigarettes
ca. 1897
Medium
Albumen print
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 9/16 × 2 3/16 in. (6.5 × 5.5 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
63.350.246.123.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming albumen print, titled *Anonymous Actress* from the Actresses series (T123, Type 2), was issued around 1897 by the Neil McCoull Co. to promote Syrian Princess Egyptian Cigarettes. Part of a popular trade card series, it features an unidentified actress in a poised portrait, capturing the era's fascination with theater stars. These small cards (just 2 9/16 × 2 3/16 inches) were collectibles tucked into cigarette packs, blending advertising with ephemera that fueled a booming hobby among Victorians. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg whites and silver salts, were the do...