Governor Lounsbury, Connecticut, from "Governors, Arms, Etc." series (N133-1), issued by Duke Sons & Co. 1885 - 1892

This small chromolithograph of Governor Lounsbury of Connecticut, part of the "Governors, Arms, Etc." series by W. Duke, Sons & Co., presents a structured composition, dividing the pictorial space into distinct, symbolic compartments. The arrangement, with its central portrait flanked by emblems, evokes a heraldic design, albeit repurposed for commercial ends. On the left, a vignette shows a path, while on the right there is a flag, and below each an escutcheon. The portrait of Lounsbury himself is rendered in a straightforward manner, typical of its time. The organizational logic of this image speaks to a late 19th-century impulse to categorize and brand. The formal rigidity suggests an attempt to contain meaning within established frameworks, yet the very act of its distribution through tobacco products destabilizes traditional notions of value and representation. It invites us to consider how such images negotiate the boundaries between public service, personal identity, and commercial culture.