Direct Fire, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Editor: This is "Direct Fire" from the "Parasol Drills" series, a watercolor print made in 1888 by Allen & Ginter as a cigarette card. I find it intriguing how this miniature format elevates what would typically be considered commercial art. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, looking at it materially, the choice of watercolor and the printing process are very interesting. The mass production of these cards speaks volumes about consumer culture at the time. Notice how the delicate aesthetic of watercolor is employed to promote a product like cigarettes. It bridges what’s traditionally seen as high art with mass-produced commercial items. What does that tension tell us about the value assigned to different types of labor, both artistic and industrial? Editor: That's a good point. So, the 'high art' aesthetic is really being used to sell a product. Do you think that cheapens the artistic value? Curator: Not necessarily cheapens, but certainly recontextualizes it. Consider the artist's labor here, probably an anonymous worker employed to create these images at scale. Their skill is harnessed to fuel the capitalist machine. Think about the consumption cycle: someone buys cigarettes, gets the card, perhaps appreciates the artwork, then…discards it? Editor: Wow, I didn't think about the planned obsolescence aspect. Curator: Exactly. This tension between artistic labor, mass production, and disposable consumption is at the heart of this little card. The aesthetic qualities become intertwined with the socio-economic processes of the era. The material context dictates how we interpret the image itself, doesn't it? Editor: It completely changes the way I see it! I initially focused on the art nouveau style but now understand the industrial processes at play, framing its cultural relevance.