Parallel Bars Exercise, from the Pretty Athletes series (N196) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This lithograph, from William S. Kimball & Company's "Pretty Athletes" series, depicts a woman in a striped bathing suit performing on parallel bars, evoking ideas of beauty, strength, and athleticism. Note the motif of the stripe, which has an ancient lineage. From the clothing of medieval outcasts to modern-day nautical fashion, stripes have oscillated between representing marginalization and embodying freedom. Think of Titian's "Flora" with her billowing white dress, and compare her dynamism to the static pose of this gymnast: the stripe is a reminder of the eternal return of the liberation of the female form. Consider the psychological impact: the stripes draw the eye across the figure, emphasizing her curves, while the athletic pose exudes confidence and control. This seemingly simple image taps into a wellspring of collective memory. It presents the viewer with the ever-changing, cyclical nature of cultural symbols and how they reflect our deepest aspirations and anxieties.