Peony: Archness, from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers (N75) for Duke brand cigarettes 1892

This is a cigarette card from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers, made by the American Tobacco Company. These cards reflect the Victorian obsession with assigning meanings to flowers, a coded language particularly resonant for women of the era. The image presents a woman in profile, her gaze directed upwards, framed by lush foliage and a prominent peony. This juxtaposition reveals the entwined expectations of feminine beauty and the symbolic power of flowers. The title, "Peony: Archness," subtly hints at a playful, coy aspect of femininity, suggesting that women, like flowers, possess hidden depths. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, incentivizing collecting. The act of collecting itself became a social activity, offering women a space for connection and shared interpretation, however limited. The corporatization of sentimentality is palpable, a reminder of the complex ways in which industries shape our understanding of gender, beauty and desire.