Cirene nourishing cream jar

Object/Artifact

-

Archive of Cuban Socialism

Name/Title

"Cirene" nourishing cream jar

Entry/Object ID

2025.1.191

Description

Small cylindrical cosmetics jar with a screw-on lid, molded in pale celadon/sea-green. The lid is plain; the body carries screen-printed white lettering and a central emblem: a circular medallion enclosing a classical female profile bust (rendered in gold foil), flanked by two laurel/wheat sprigs. Text reads "CREMA NUTRITIVA" above and the brand "CIRENE" below the medallion. Empty.

Use

Belonged to Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Context

Container often reused to store small objects.

Collection

The Cabrera Arús family collection, Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez collecition

Acquisition

Accession

2025.1

Made/Created

Manufacturer

MINIL

Place

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Edition

Cirene

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Location

front and back of the container

Transcription

"CREMA NUTRITIVA" "CIRENE" "LA HABANA"

Language

Spanish

Translation

"nourishing cream" "Cirene (brand name)" "The Habana"

Material/Technique

Inscribed

Notes

Inscriptions/Marks: Screen-printed, white: "CREMA NUTRITIVA" (upper) and "CIRENE" (lower). Central gold-foil classical female profile bust within a ringed medallion, flanked by laurel/wheat sprigs. No maker name, volume, lot, or date visible; base and lid top not imaged. Materials: Molded plastic, pale green (tentative — milk/opal glass not fully excluded from images); screen-printed enamel/ink lettering; gold foil or metallic-print medallion.

Dimensions

Dimension Description

4.5 x 5.3

Height

5.3 cm

Diameter

4.5 cm

Materials

Material

Plastic

Material Notes

Technique: Molded jar and lid; screen-printed graphics; foil-stamped or metallic-printed medallion.

Condition

Overall Condition

Good

Overall Condition

Fair

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Gertrudis Caraballo Gálvez

Notes

owner

Related Places

Place

City

Havana

Country

Cuba

Region

Caribbean, Central America

Notes

use, purchase, preservation of contained

Research Notes

Notes

"Cirene" is the Spanish form of Cyrene, a nymph of Greek mythology; the classical profile bust and laurel motif play on that allusion — a generic mythological figure, not a portrait of a real person.

Created By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Create Date

March 31, 2022

Updated By

María A. Cabrera Arús

Update Date

June 14, 2026