Maude Millett as "Cinderella," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

This small lithograph of Maude Millett dressed as Cinderella was created around the turn of the century by W. Duke and Sons for their cigarette brand. Its composition is dominated by a central, frontal portrait set against a pale blue background. The juxtaposition of warm and cool tones—the yellow of the dress against the cool backdrop—draws the eye. The image’s semiotic richness lies in its engagement with cultural codes of femininity and class. Millett’s costume—shoes adorning her head and clutched in her hand—playfully destabilizes the established meanings, values, and categories. The shoe, a signifier of Cinderella’s identity, is here elevated, literally, to a position of prominence. This displacement challenges the fixed narrative, engaging with evolving perceptions of the representation of women. Note how the very structure of the costume, particularly the prominent placement of the footwear, serves not just an aesthetic purpose but engages in a larger cultural discourse about identity and representation. Art is a site of continuous interpretation.