Klipp Fish, from the series Fishers and Fish (N74) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This is a chromolithograph trade card advertising Duke brand cigarettes, presenting an allegorical figure of a fisherwoman, with an oversized Klipp fish dangling from her rod. Here, the fisherwoman is crowned with a wreath of flowers, a motif echoing the ancient Roman Floralia, festivals celebrating the blossoming of flowers. Yet, unlike the classical Flora, this figure is not an innocent representation of Spring. Her knowing smile hints at something more, a transformation of ancient symbols to serve modern desires. The image strikes at a deep emotional chord, playing on the collective fascination with nature and beauty, yet tinged with a sense of artifice inherent in advertising. It reminds us that symbols are never static, and can be reshaped, reused, and re-envisioned.