Card Number 216, Mlle. Patoret, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This advertisement card by W. Duke, Sons & Co. presents Mademoiselle Patoret, an actress, adorned with a wreath, promoting Cross Cut Cigarettes. Her classical drapery and floral crown immediately evoke associations with ancient Greek goddesses and nymphs. The wreath, a symbol of victory and honor in ancient times, frequently appeared in both secular and religious contexts. Think of Apollo, god of the arts, often depicted wearing a laurel wreath. Here, the wreath suggests an aura of celebrity and apotheosis, elevating Mlle. Patoret to a quasi-divine status. Over time, wreaths have transitioned from emblems of triumph to symbols of commemoration and remembrance, seen in funerary rites. Yet, in this card, the wreath’s classical nobility is subverted by its commercial purpose, entwining art with commerce, the sacred with the profane. This juxtaposition encapsulates how symbols are constantly re-contextualized. They are charged with new meanings, revealing the complex layers of cultural memory embedded in visual imagery.