Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 1) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This small portrait of a woman, from the Novelties series issued by Kinney Bros., presents us with a face designed to capture attention and admiration. The coy smile and the deliberate blush on her cheeks create a vision of approachable beauty, a potent symbol of allure in the burgeoning consumer culture of the time. Consider how this image echoes the Venus Pudica, where modesty paradoxically enhances desirability. The averted gaze, a recurring motif throughout art history, serves to heighten the viewer's interest. From ancient sculptures to Renaissance paintings, this gesture invites the observer into a dance of revelation and concealment. The woman's rosy cheeks and gentle smile are more than just aesthetic choices; they are calculated to evoke feelings of warmth, pleasure, and consumer desire. It is a subtle yet powerful manipulation, a trick of the mind that intertwines beauty with the products being advertised. It highlights the cyclical nature of human desire and the enduring power of images to tap into our deepest, most primal instincts.