Card Number 375, Miss Jarbeau, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is card number 375, “Miss Jarbeau,” from the Actors and Actresses series, printed by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes. Observe how Miss Jarbeau poses, hat aloft, with a coy yet inviting gaze. The gesture of raising an object above the head can be traced back to ancient victory celebrations, a symbol of triumph and allure. Consider the “Venus Pudica,” or modest Venus, her hands covering her private parts. Here, Miss Jarbeau covers only her head, as if to say: look but don’t touch. The image is a commercial icon, yet it stirs something primal. This tension between allure and modesty is a dance through time, reappearing in various guises, each reflecting its era's desires and anxieties. This is an effective image, engaging viewers with the timeless push and pull between desire and restraint.