Life of Adelina Patti-Nicolini, from the Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People series of booklets (N79) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small booklet, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the century, presents a portrait of the opera singer Adelina Patti-Nicolini. Note the medal at the bottom corner; it is a symbol of her achievements. Medals have long been used across cultures to recognize accomplishment. Consider ancient Rome, where military honors were often depicted as medals on statues, embodying the virtues of courage and loyalty. Here, the medal signifies Patti’s artistic excellence, a parallel to the military hero’s valor. This small token serves as a potent symbol, connecting the singer to a lineage of celebrated figures across history, each marked by their own symbol of honor. The cultural memory embedded in such symbols speaks to our enduring need to recognize and commemorate excellence.