Miss L'Hery, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 2, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This photographic card of Miss L'Hery, from the Actresses series, was issued by the Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes. The pearls adorning Miss L’Hery’s neck echo a tradition dating back to ancient times, symbolizing purity and status. We observe similar adornments in Renaissance portraits, such as those of Eleonora di Toledo by Bronzino, where pearls were used to signify wealth, virtue and social standing. Yet, here, the pearl necklace seems to evoke something more subtle. It isn't merely a display of opulence but also suggests the delicate balance between public image and private self. The pearl, born of irritation within the oyster, becomes a metaphor for the performer's life, where beauty and resilience emerge from personal challenges. Consider this image as a fragment of cultural memory, a constant return of the past to inform our present.