Maud Harrison as "The Chanticleer," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

This lithograph made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. features Maud Harrison as "The Chanticleer." The dominant symbol here is the rooster. Chanticleer, the rooster, a figure who crows to announce the sunrise, appears in folklore as a symbol of vigilance and pride, its crowing linked to the expulsion of darkness, a motif echoed across cultures. Consider the rooster's presence atop weather vanes—a reminder of its watchful nature, mirroring the vigilance attributed to Mercury, the Roman messenger god, in classical art. This visual language speaks to a deeper, perhaps subconscious, association between vigilance and the heralding of new beginnings. The image is both whimsical and evocative, reminding us of the cyclical nature of symbols. The rooster returns again and again throughout history, each time colored by the unique hues of a new age.