From the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 5) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes
ca. 1888
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 3/8 in. (7 x 3.5 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
63.350.203.45.839
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century advertising this petite albumen photograph from Allen & Ginter's *Actors and Actresses* series (N45, 5), issued around 1888 to promote Virginia Brights Cig. Produced by the innovative American tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, these were tucked into cigarette packs as collectible incentives, sparking a craze among enthusiasts. Measuring just 2 3/4 x 1 3/8 inches, this card captures a glamorous portrait of a female actress, exemplifying the era's fascination with theater stars as cultural icons. The medium—albumen print, made by coating paper with eg...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...