Fräulein Ilga, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This small commercial card, part of the "Actors and Actresses" series for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, presents Fräulein Ilga in what was probably a very alluring and provocative pose at the time. The laced corset is a particularly interesting emblem. Corsets appear throughout history, and have undergone various transformations. From symbols of oppression and female constraint to objects of desire and liberation in modern fashion, it showcases our cultural and emotional ambivalence towards the female form. The corseted figure has traversed through various eras, each one with their own projections and understandings. This evolution tells us that these images contain a psychological dimension, an expression of collective desires. Observe how the motif reappears and reinvents itself, revealing the non-linear, cyclical nature of cultural symbols. It becomes apparent that these images carry cultural memory across time, constantly evolving.