President Cleveland, District of Columbia, from "Governors, Arms, Etc." series (N133-1), issued by Duke Sons & Co. 1885 - 1892

This late 19th-century lithograph by W. Duke, Sons & Co., promotes cigarettes through an image of President Cleveland, flanked by symbols of American power. Note the allegorical figures on the District of Columbia's coat of arms: Justice, holding scales, and Liberty, carrying a staff with a Phrygian cap. This cap, worn by freed slaves in antiquity, echoes in the French Revolution, becoming a potent symbol of liberation. Now observe the American flag on the right, dominated by the eagle – a symbol of power since ancient Rome. The recurrence of these symbols throughout history is fascinating. The eagle, for instance, appears in countless iterations, from ancient coins to modern emblems. The Phrygian cap, too, has seen numerous revivals. These symbols are not static; they evolve, adapt, and resurface, charged with new meanings in different epochs, reflecting our collective desires and anxieties. They remind us that history is not linear but cyclical.