Back Wheel, from the Gymnastic Exercises series (N77) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

This small printed card, “Back Wheel,” was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of the Gymnastic Exercises series. The composition presents a figure performing gymnastics, inverting the traditional orientation of the subject. The gymnast’s body forms an arch, with the focal point being the tension between her grip on the bar and the extension of her limbs. The colour scheme is muted, dominated by pastel shades, which softens the dynamic pose. This image is more than a depiction of physical prowess; it challenges conventional modes of representation. By inverting the figure, the artwork destabilizes our habitual ways of seeing, disrupting the normative relationship between the viewer and the subject. The body, typically grounded, is here suspended, forcing us to reconsider our understanding of balance and support. Ultimately, it is through such formal inversions that the artwork achieves its subversive potential, prompting a reconsideration of established perspectives and the inherent instability of meaning itself.