Card 641, Kate Uart, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photograph of Kate Uart, part of a series of collectible cards for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Note the deliberate gesture of Kate's hand resting on the rustic fence. This simple act carries echoes of the classical Venus Pudica, where the figure modestly covers her body. The Venus Pudica’s gesture, rooted in ancient Greece, was intended to convey modesty and virtue, yet it simultaneously draws attention to the very areas it seeks to conceal. Over centuries, this gesture appears in countless variations, each time slightly altered by the cultural currents of the day. Here, in this photograph, it is further secularized and sexualized, becoming a potent symbol of allure. This gesture of covering and revealing continues to evolve, reflecting our changing attitudes towards the body, desire, and identity, underscoring how deeply embedded these archetypes are in our collective psyche. It’s a reminder that these symbols are not static, but in constant dialogue with our ever-evolving cultural landscape.