Diana, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is "Diana, from the Actresses series," a cigarette card made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. The composition stages a woman dressed as the mythological Diana, goddess of the hunt. The muted sepia tones create a sense of classical antiquity, while the actress's direct gaze and the drawn bow suggest a readiness for action, poised between vulnerability and strength. The backdrop, a painted landscape, enhances this dichotomy, creating a liminal space that exists between reality and artifice. Kimball’s series, like many of its time, used images to brand its products, in this case, connecting the allure of celebrity with the cultural capital of classical mythology. The card itself functions as a sign, its value derived not just from its aesthetic qualities but from its role within a larger system of exchange and representation, reflecting the late 19th-century fascination with both celebrity culture and the classical past.