Card Number 20, Aimee, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is Card Number 20, "Aimee," from the Actors and Actresses series, created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. It features the actress Aimee in costume, her attire embellished with rosettes and bows. Note the bow at Aimee’s hip. Throughout history, the bow has appeared as a symbol of connection and unity, adorning figures in Renaissance paintings, tying together the Fates, or crowning the heads of lovers in classical sculpture. Here, the bow’s symbolism is more subtle. However, it still carries the echoes of its predecessors, reminding us of art history's non-linear progression, how symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts. The actress, therefore, engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level.