Queenie Rich, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1890

This small photograph of Queenie Rich was part of a series of actresses printed by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Consider her pose: legs crossed, seated, with a calm demeanor. This echoes the contrapposto of classical sculpture, where figures shift their weight to one leg, creating a dynamic yet balanced stance. The crossed legs, however, twist this classical form, hinting at both composure and a concealed sensuality that would have been quite charged in its time. We might also see this pose reflected in numerous Venus figures across art history, from antiquity to the Renaissance, each bearing the weight of cultural ideals of beauty and allure. The gaze, too, is crucial. It invites the viewer, sparking desire and curiosity and engaging us on a visceral, deeply human level. This image is not merely a portrait of an actress; it is a mirror reflecting society’s evolving perceptions of femininity, desire, and power, continuously reshaped across epochs.