Eva Shaler, Corsair Co., from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 6) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This sepia photograph by Allen & Ginter is from the series of actresses featured on Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The theatrical drapery, an opulent fabric with floral motifs, delicately cloaks the subject's shoulders. Consider the enduring symbol of draped fabric. It echoes through time, from classical sculptures of antiquity to Renaissance portraits, each fold imbued with layers of meaning, from status to virtue. Here, it speaks to the performative nature of Shaler's profession, her identity draped, much like the fabric, for the audience's gaze. One is reminded of Botticelli's Venus, rising from the sea, modestly veiled, yet undeniably exposed. The veil, a paradoxical symbol of both concealment and revelation, suggests a complex interplay between what is seen and what is left to the imagination. This dance of revelation and concealment engages our collective memory, tapping into the subconscious desires and expectations we project onto the female form. The symbol persists, transformed yet familiar. Its cyclical journey across time and cultures reveals the power of images to evoke not just beauty, but also our deepest desires.