Mlle. Bernhardt, Paris, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This small photograph from the Actors and Actresses series, was produced by Allen & Ginter to promote Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The celebrated Parisian actress Sarah Bernhardt is depicted leaning against an ornately carved door or frame. Observe the actress's pose; her body is twisted, her arm raised in a gesture that conveys both theatrical drama and vulnerability. This 'pathos formula', the suffering nymph, resonates with ancient depictions of nymphs and mythological figures in distress. Think of the Hellenistic sculpture of Laocoön struggling against the serpents; Bernhardt embodies a similar emotional intensity, a sense of being caught in a moment of extreme tension. The image's power lies in its ability to evoke deep-seated emotions. It's a visual echo, reflecting our collective memory of human suffering and resilience. Like a recurring dream, it resurfaces in different forms, each time carrying a renewed emotional weight.