Card Number 142, Sadie Martinot, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card of Sadie Martinot, an actress, produced by Duke Sons & Co. to advertise Cross Cut Cigarettes. The profile view, a classical trope, immediately brings to mind ancient Roman portraiture. The bare shoulders and turned head recall the Venus Pudica, a motif that originated in antiquity, signifying modesty and beauty. But here, in the late 19th century, it has been subtly transformed. The actress’s gaze is averted, yet her posture exudes a quiet confidence, a modern twist on the classical ideal. Consider how this echoes in later works, such as Manet’s Olympia. There, the direct gaze challenges the viewer, breaking from the submissive demureness of earlier nudes. These recurring motifs demonstrate a fascinating cultural continuity, each age reinterpreting the past through its own lens. The echo of the Venus Pudica resonates still.