Elsie Lombard, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This photograph of Elsie Lombard was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of an advertising campaign. Note the roses adorning her dress, symbols of love and beauty since antiquity. These roses echo through time, from ancient Roman festivals where they symbolized rebirth to their prominent display in Renaissance paintings as emblems of the Virgin Mary. Yet here, the roses are subtly subverted; they are not presented as sacred offerings but as adornments, entwined with the actress's beauty to enhance the allure of Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This commodification of a symbol, once deeply spiritual, reveals how cultural values evolve and adapt to new contexts. The subconscious pull of these enduring symbols is undeniable. They stir within us a collective memory, a yearning for beauty and romance that transcends eras, cleverly exploited here to captivate and persuade.