Indiana, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: Today, we're examining "Indiana, from Flags of the States and Territories," an 1888 lithograph created by Allen & Ginter as part of a series of collectible cigarette cards. Editor: It's immediately striking—so compact and dense with symbolism, almost overloaded, wouldn’t you agree? And look at the quality! Given its original purpose, that’s truly surprising. Curator: The composition presents a hierarchy. At the bottom we see a portrayal of what I take to be the Indiana Statehouse, an impressive display of architectural grandeur. Above this architectural element floats an allegorical image. Editor: Yes, there’s an almost comical contrast in scale. The careful detail applied to the architectural element throws the wilder imagery into sharper contrast. Is that supposed to be a wild boar with some poor chap pursuing it with an axe? Curator: Indeed. I find it fascinating how they layered these elements—a banner showcasing a miniature landscape, a symbolic depiction, a slice of state history with the building and activity at its base... Editor: Right—but it seems almost recklessly compiled for commercial purposes. The entire thing screams commodification: landscape, labor, state identity, literally packaged with nicotine. It reduces everything to a symbol. And the rendering... one can feel the labor and production constraints at play. Curator: The flatness of the print serves the symbolism by giving equal visual weight to each carefully considered icon: the state building and its cultivated green spaces; the sun rising over an agrarian landscape. Editor: Which, again, only sharpens the tension between idealized imagery and the reality of industrial processes that drove the market for cigarettes. It’s almost darkly comical. And a commentary on frontier violence and manifest destiny too, I feel. Curator: A powerful visual condensation indeed. Allen & Ginter captured a moment where regional pride intertwined with both industrial production and westward expansionism in very concentrated form. Editor: Quite a dense little object, so reflective of its moment and the materials and processes through which these fleeting pieces were born. I shall think of Indiana in a new light after this exploration.