Mlle. Thibault, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a carte-de-visite of Mlle. Thibault, an actress, made in the late 19th century by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Notice the way she leans against what looks like a rustic fence. This pose, casual yet deliberate, echoes poses we see in much earlier Renaissance portraits, where a sitter might rest an arm on a ledge. It signifies a cultivated ease, an accessibility, yet also a subtle assertion of status. Consider how this gesture carries through art history. It first appeared as an indication of nobility and became a fashionable trope through which women could project approachability. In antiquity, the gesture signified not just a physical support but also a connection to the earth, to the source of life. Over time, this subconscious association has persisted, informing our reading of the motif. It reflects our own aspirations and collective memories of what it means to be both grounded and elevated. The resurfacing of this motif speaks to the cyclical nature of human expression.