[Actress wearing cloak with lace details], from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

This photographic print, made around 1870 to promote Duke Cigarettes, depicts an actress adorned in a lace-trimmed cloak, a symbol laden with cultural meaning. The lace itself, a delicate and intricate fabric, speaks of status and refinement, echoing the attire of Renaissance nobility. Consider how lace, in portraits by masters like Holbein, signified wealth and sophistication, yet here, it appears on a cigarette card, a democratized symbol of luxury. This conflation is not without precedent; we see similar visual strategies in advertisements throughout history. The motif of the cloak also evokes layered meanings. Historically, cloaks served as symbols of power and mystery, concealing as much as they revealed. Perhaps, consciously or subconsciously, this image taps into collective memories of royalty and theatricality, drawing viewers into a narrative that transcends the mere advertisement of tobacco. The human psyche recognizes and responds to these symbols, engaging with their encoded emotional weight. These symbols, then, aren’t frozen relics of the past but living entities that resurface, evolve, and adapt within new cultural landscapes.