J. M. Balmaceda, President of Chili, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-1) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. 1888

This late 19th-century trading card by W. Duke, Sons & Co. presents us with a portrait of J.M. Balmaceda, President of Chile, flanked by potent symbols of national identity: the coat of arms and the flag. The coat of arms features a snake, and the flag a lone star, each laden with meaning. The snake, often a symbol of healing and transformation, winds its way around the shield, recalling the caduceus, a symbol of medicine. Yet, its presence here is multivalent. Snakes appear in mythology across cultures, from the serpent in the Garden of Eden to the ouroboros, the snake eating its tail, representing cyclicality and renewal. That lone star on the flag, echoing the one on the shield, speaks to Chile's status as a unitary state. This symbol reminds us of the psychological power of emblems and how they resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.