Esther Moore, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This promotional card of Esther Moore, from the Actresses series, was issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Note the hat, tilted at a jaunty angle, adorned with a plume, and the actress’s braided hair, symbols of feminine allure in this era. This card reminds us of the ancient goddess images, where specific attributes like headdresses and hairstyles were used to convey status, power, and identity. In ancient Greece, the arrangement of hair could signify marital status or religious affiliation. The plumed hat echoes the helmets of antiquity, like the winged helmets associated with Mercury, a symbol of swiftness and communication, though here transformed into a decorative element signifying elegance and the modern woman. The way in which these symbols endure, transformed yet recognizable, speaks to our collective memory and the persistence of archetypes in the human psyche. Such symbols continue to resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.