Mlle. Secroix, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes
1886–90
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
sheet: 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 in. (6.9 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
63.350.215.171.91
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the glittering world of 19th theater with *Mlle. Secroix, Paris*, a captivating albumen photograph from Goodwin & Company's Actors and Actresses series (171) for Old Judgearettes, produced between 1886 and 1890. This tiny portrait (just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches) captures the poised elegance of the French actress Mlle. Secix, one of many performers immortalized in these collectible cards tucked into cigarette packs. During the Gilded Age, such ephemera turned smoking into a gateway for celebrity fandom, blending commerce with culture as collectors eagerly traded cards featuring stage st...
About the Artist
Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950
**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...