Daisy Murdoch, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This trade card from the Actors and Actresses series features Daisy Murdoch and was distributed by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Notice Murdoch's playful demeanor. In her left hand, she seems to hold a small object, perhaps a flower or a prop, while in her right, she clutches a peculiar serpent-like object. This image, though seemingly simple, resonates with age-old symbols. The serpent, a motif slithering through countless cultures, embodies renewal, healing, and, in darker corners, temptation and chaos. Consider the serpent's presence in ancient Near Eastern art or its transformation into the caduceus, a symbol of medicine. How does its meaning shift here? Is Murdoch a temptress, or does she represent something more complex—a performer embodying transformation and the duality of human nature? These symbols, embedded in our collective memory, continue their non-linear, cyclical progression through history, evolving and resurfacing in unexpected forms.