F. de la Circasie from playing cards "Jeu d'Or" 18th century

This is a playing card called "F. de la Circasie" from a "Jeu d'Or" set. The anonymous artist presents a figure adorned in vibrant colours with clear outlines against a pale ground, demonstrating an interest in costume and design. The composition divides the figure into distinct zones of colour – a striking yellow bodice, a blue skirt, and a red cloak. Notice how the artist uses colour not to create depth, but to emphasize flat, decorative surfaces. The colour is applied with short, hatched strokes, typical of hand-coloured prints, adding texture to the card. This organization into distinct chromatic and textual elements invites us to consider structuralism, where meaning is derived from relationships and contrasts. In this context, colour and form are not merely aesthetic but become signs within a larger system. The card isn't simply a visual representation but a cultural artifact, reflecting the era's fascination with exoticism and its encoding within the rigid structure of a game. The card challenges fixed notions of identity, presenting it instead as a composite of signifiers, open to play and interpretation.