Miss Tillbury, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This card featuring Miss Tillbury, of the Actors and Actresses series, was printed by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. Observe how Miss Tillbury sits, her hands clasped gently in her lap, a gesture that echoes poses of modesty and contemplation found throughout art history. This posture, reminiscent of classical sculptures and Renaissance portraits, conveys a sense of refined grace. But its roots can be traced back further. Images of clasped hands often suggest mourning or prayer and may trigger subconscious associations with loss and reflection. Consider how artists throughout the ages—from antiquity to the Renaissance—have employed similar gestures to evoke emotional depth. Think of the way the Venus Pudica modestly covers her body, or how praying figures are represented with their hands clasped. The image has power not only through what is shown, but also how. It represents the cyclical return and evolution of visual symbols in art.