Card Number 49, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card from around 1870, issued by Duke Sons & Co. for Cross Cut Cigarettes, featuring an actress. Here, we see an actress in costume, holding a staff, her pose reminiscent of classical muses. The staff, an ancient symbol of authority and guidance, stretches back to Hermes's caduceus, a symbol of negotiation and commerce, now interwoven with the allure of the stage. The image stirs something deep within us, a connection to archetypes that have persisted across centuries. Consider how this archetype has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings throughout history; like an ancient spirit, it appears throughout time, shaped by the shifting winds of culture.