From the Actresses and Celebrities series (N60, Type 2) promoting Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This card from Allen & Ginter, part of the "Actresses and Celebrities" series, captures the likeness of a performer, printed using lithography. The delicate lace adorning her head is not merely decorative, but a powerful symbol deeply rooted in cultural memory. This motif of veiled beauty echoes through art history, from ancient Roman sculptures of veiled goddesses to Renaissance portraits. Consider Botticelli's Venus, modestly covering herself. The veil has served as a signifier of purity, mystery, and transformation. Yet, in this context, it takes on a commercial twist, promoting "Little Beauties Cigarettes". The actress, veiled yet exposed, embodies the era's complex dance between public persona and private allure. It’s as if the veil becomes a screen onto which desires and projections are cast, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. The performance continues, as the symbol resurfaces and evolves through time.