Card Number 339, Miss Powel, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card manufactured by W. Duke, Sons & Co. promoting Cross Cut Cigarettes, featuring Miss Powel, an actress of the time. She stands in a pose of theatrical authority, foot confidently placed on a rise, hand gesturing expressively, reminiscent of a Shakespearean actor commanding the stage. This pose echoes across centuries. Think of Roman emperors depicted with a foot upon a defeated foe, or Renaissance portraits of rulers asserting their dominion. The gesture, passed down through history, speaks to power, control, and the commanding of attention. Consider the psychology at play. Miss Powel, through this deliberate stance, embodies a certain ideal—a figure of admiration and influence. Is this pose a conscious emulation of historical figures, or does it emerge from some deeper well of collective memory, reflecting a universal human desire for authority? The image, though small, invites us to ponder the enduring power of gesture, and the timeless human drama of performance and power.