Miss Butler, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

This is Miss Butler, a promotional card from the Actors and Actresses series, created around the turn of the century by Duke Sons & Co. Note the grandiose plume in her hair, a symbol of status and allure. This motif of feathers as adornment, potent with meaning, echoes through time, from the headdresses of indigenous American leaders, signifying power and connection to the spiritual world, to the elaborate feathered creations in Renaissance portraits, flaunting wealth and sophistication. Consider how feathers, once symbolic of divine ascent and truth, transform into mere displays of opulence. This shift reveals the cyclical nature of symbols, and the psychological draw of transformation and disguise. The portrait, meant to entice, also hints at the ephemeral nature of fame, a constant play between identity and illusion. These images remind us that cultural symbols are always in flux, shaped by the ever-changing currents of collective desire and memory.