Sadie Martinot in Colors of Lynn Yacht Club, from the Yacht Colors of the World series (N140) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1890

This lithograph, by W. Duke, Sons & Co., produced as a promotional card for Honest Long Cut Tobacco, features Sadie Martinot adorned in the colors of the Lynn Yacht Club. Note the flags and nautical symbols, which evoke ideas of maritime exploration and national pride. Consider the pennants strung across the top, reminiscent of ancient Roman vexilla, which denoted military units and conveyed a sense of power and order. The flag with the crescent moon is an ancient symbol appearing in various cultures, from Byzantium to Islam, often linked with divinity and guidance. Here, it suggests the aspirational, ever-changing nature of human endeavor, much like the moon’s phases, a celestial body deeply connected to the subconscious. Such imagery, repeated across time and cultures, taps into our collective memory, stirring emotions of adventure, safety, and belonging. The cyclical nature of these symbols reflects our ongoing search for meaning, as they resurface in different forms, continually evolving to resonate with the human spirit.