Mlle. Guerra, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a photographic print of Mlle. Guerra, an actress, made by Allen & Ginter as part of a series of collectible cards for Virginia Brights Cigarettes. Consider the artifice: the flowers adorning her gown and the table she leans upon. Flowers are transient emblems of beauty, fertility, and the ephemeral nature of life. Notice how the flowers are intertwined with artifice—the stage is adorned with them and in her very dress—creating a sense of fleeting illusion. Think of Botticelli's "Primavera," where flowers burst forth, or even ancient Roman festivals like the Floralia, celebrating the rebirth of nature. Yet, here, they are staged. It's as if Mlle. Guerra exists in a perpetual spring, a constructed paradise that contrasts sharply with the decay inherent in the natural world. This tension pulls at our subconscious, stirring both desire and melancholy, as we're reminded of beauty's transient state and humanity's constant attempt to capture it.