Card 865, Minnie Maddern, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 7) for Dixie Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photographic print of Minnie Maddern, produced by Allen & Ginter as part of a series of cigarette cards. Note how Minnie clasps a walking stick, her expression unreadable; a powerful and unsettling gesture. The walking stick motif appears across cultures, from Hermes' caduceus to the staffs carried by biblical figures, symbolizing authority, guidance, and the journey of life. Here, the stick becomes an extension of Maddern herself. It transcends mere functionality, suggesting self-reliance and a silent, yet assertive, presence. Consider this in contrast to medieval depictions of saints holding staffs. The stick, in a different epoch, signaled spiritual guidance. Here, it is a personal symbol, a subtle declaration of independence. Such shifts reveal how symbols evolve, shaped by the collective unconscious and re-emerging in new guises across the epochs. The symbolism is not linear; it spirals, each revolution echoing the past while refracting through the present.