Card Number 380, Lizzie Harold, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This commercial card from around 1880, by W. Duke, Sons & Co., presents actress Lizzie Harold in a pose that is both casual and calculated. Her crossed arms, a gesture of self-containment, subtly echo poses of classical sculptures, yet here it seems more a coy display for the camera. The slight contrapposto of her stance, with one leg casually crossed, is a motif that carries echoes of ancient Aphrodite, goddess of love. It’s a positioning of ease and beauty, designed to catch the eye. Consider how such gestures persist, transformed yet recognizable. The actress's pose is far removed from the sacred, but the echo remains. The image taps into a collective memory, where archetypes of beauty and allure are constantly revisited. The image becomes a powerful, subconscious symbol, a visual echo resonating through time.