Helen Standish as "The Sunflower," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

This chromolithograph of Helen Standish as "The Sunflower" was created around 1890 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. for Duke brand cigarettes. The composition is dominated by the subject’s face, framed by a vibrant sunflower headdress and draped with a patterned shawl of pink and red hues. The formal structure presents an interplay between artifice and nature, using a semiotic system of signs. The sunflower, a symbol of adoration and longevity, juxtaposes with the manufactured image of beauty, hinting at the commodification of identity. This juxtaposition challenges fixed meanings, inviting us to question the values ascribed to both the natural and artificial. The print's texture and scale function within a complex cultural discourse, reflecting broader artistic and philosophical concerns about representation and reality during this time. The tension between the industrial medium and the organic subject encourages us to consider how art engages with new ways of thinking about perception and representation.