Corinne, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a trade card, one of a series of actors and actresses made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Here, we see a performer named Corinne adorned in striking attire, most notably the elaborate hat set at a jaunty angle, drawing our eye upward. The hat, with its stylized plaid and feather plume, echoes back to earlier Renaissance depictions of Fortuna, where hats with plumes were often signifiers of unpredictability. This symbolism, in the context of a performer, hints at the fickle nature of fame and fortune within the theater. It's a curious dance, isn’t it? Throughout history, headwear has been a signifier of status and identity. The hat here, although fashionable, carries echoes of its earlier association with chance. And the emotions! Corinne's direct gaze embodies the complex interplay between vulnerability and self-assurance inherent in the performer's psyche. We see the recurring motif of the hat as an emblem of fate, transforming over centuries from a symbol of classical deities to a theatrical accoutrement, a fascinating illustration of how collective memory shapes and reshapes our understanding of symbols.