Card 35, Limenitis Sybilla, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

Card 35, Limenitis Sybilla, from the Butterflies series was issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as one of many collectible cards included in cigarette packs during the late 19th century. These cards reflect a fascination with natural history, but they also reveal much about the cultural values of the time. By depicting a woman with butterfly wings, the card blends the beauty of nature with idealized femininity. This intertwining of woman and nature evokes prevailing notions about women’s delicate beauty and ornamental function in society. The woman is adorned with jewelry, a signifier of wealth and status, while the butterfly wings amplify her perceived fragility. Such images circulated widely, shaping and reinforcing dominant ideas about gender and class. They invite us to consider the ways in which representations of women and nature have historically been used to convey social meanings, and how these meanings continue to resonate today.