Card Number 510, Miss Schwartz, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This small card, made by Duke Sons & Co., presents Miss Schwartz, an actress, amidst a lush, theatrical backdrop. Her delicate gesture, with a finger lightly touching her chin, evokes a sense of contemplation and invitation. This gesture echoes across centuries, reminding us of classical depictions of muses or allegorical figures pondering creative inspiration. We find it in Renaissance paintings and even ancient sculptures. But here, divorced from high art, it enters the world of mass culture, adorning a cigarette card. Consider the gesture's psychoanalytic weight: a moment of self-reflection made public, a silent beckoning to the viewer. The image invites us into a private world of beauty and performance, reflecting the complex interplay between desire, representation, and the burgeoning culture of celebrity. It's a fascinating dance of cultural memory and modern marketing.