Card Number 152, Mrs. Roach, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card from around 1870-1920, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. It features a portrait of Mrs. Roach, an actress of the time. Observe how her gaze is directed away, a symbol of the era's ideal of feminine modesty and elegance. The lace collar around her shoulders, a delicate adornment, reminds me of the ruffs worn in Renaissance portraits. In those earlier works, the ruff signified status and refinement, a visual marker of belonging to the upper echelons of society. Here, the lace serves a similar function, but its softer, more delicate nature reflects the changing times and evolving ideals of beauty and sophistication. It echoes in my mind the cyclical nature of fashion and how symbols of status and beauty reappear, transformed by the shifting currents of history and cultural values.