Lizzie Derious, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photograph of Lizzie Derious, part of a series of actresses promoting Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The image is small, like a playing card. Derious's direct gaze is softened by her elaborate waves of hair and the quaint lace collar of her dress. Her gaze reminds me of the ‘nympha’ archetype, carrying connotations of youthful beauty and captivating charm. We see echoes of this in Botticelli’s Venus, who also embodies allure and idealized beauty. This archetype reappears throughout art history, each time subtly altered by the cultural and historical context. The way Lizzie's eyes draw you in and suggest a kind of inner life that is always just beyond reach is a powerful force, engaging us on a subconscious level. This card, much like those Renaissance paintings, reveals the complex ways cultural memory and collective desire influence what we find beautiful and captivating. In both instances, the artists draw upon something deeply rooted within the human psyche.