Maud Waldemere, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This photograph by William S. Kimball & Company features Maud Waldemere, an actress adorned with symbols that echo through time. Her attire, a nod to theatrical bravado, includes a sword, an emblem of power and defense, often seen in classical depictions of mythological figures. Consider how the sword, here a mere prop, links to ancient sculptures of Mars, the god of war. The gesture of holding the sword can be seen as an echo, however faint, of classical heroism. It resurfaces in medieval knights, renaissance nobility, and even in modern-day cinema. Note, too, the hat being tipped. Tipping one's hat is a conventional gesture signifying respect. This is another repeated gesture that can be seen in different cultures and times. The photograph, mass-produced and distributed with cigarettes, democratizes these once exclusive symbols. It brings the heroic and theatrical into everyday life, blurring the lines between high art and popular culture, a dance between the eternal and the ephemeral.