Quick Time March, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This is Quick Time March, from the Parasol Drills series, a print made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. This small card features a young woman holding a parasol, rendered with a delicate touch in muted colors. The composition centers on her figure, framed by the open umbrella above. Note how the artist plays with texture, using a stippling effect to create a sense of depth and movement in the background, contrasting with the smoother rendering of the woman’s face and dress. The color palette, dominated by soft blues, pinks, and yellows, evokes a sense of nostalgia and perhaps even artifice, typical of commercial imagery of the time. The parasol itself functions as a signifier, its decorative patterns and vibrant colors drawing the eye and adding a layer of complexity to the image. The print engages with contemporary ideas about fashion, femininity, and consumer culture. It destabilizes traditional notions of portraiture by embedding it within a promotional context. The print thus functions not merely as an advertisement, but as a complex interplay of visual signifiers that invite ongoing interpretation and re-evaluation.