Miss Harriet Vernon, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Goodwin & Company created this small portrait of Miss Harriet Vernon as part of a series of cigarette cards. The gaze of Miss Vernon, direct and engaging, reminds me of the "ocular tick" I've observed across centuries of portraiture. Think of the Fayum mummy portraits; their eyes, wide and forward-looking, were meant to follow the viewer, creating a sense of enduring presence. This directness is not just a stylistic choice; it's an invocation, a visual bridge across time. The alluring actress, mass-produced, sold alongside cigarettes, echoes the ancient archetype of the goddess, democratized for the modern age. This speaks to the cyclical nature of symbols; deities become celebrities, myths transform into marketing. The longing for the divine, for beauty, and for connection persists, finding new forms in each era. Ultimately, this simple card becomes a mirror reflecting our timeless desires and the endless dance of cultural memory.