John Arkins, Denver Rocky Mountain News, from the American Editors series (N35) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is "John Arkins, Denver Rocky Mountain News," from 1887, part of the American Editors series by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. It looks like a colored pencil drawing that was reproduced as a print. It feels... nostalgic? Like a glimpse into a romanticized past. I’m intrigued by the divided composition – a portrait on one side and a Western landscape on the other. What draws your eye in this piece? Curator: Nostalgia, absolutely! It’s thick in the air like the scent of old newsprint and a whisper of something far more romantic than the average headline. The juxtaposition, as you pointed out, is key. It's almost like two different worlds colliding, the rugged frontier and the polished world of journalism. Does that horseman dream of headlines, or does John Arkins long for the freedom of the foothills? The colors feel like memories themselves, slightly faded but still vivid. I see ambition and adventure simmering together. Editor: That's a beautiful way to put it – "ambition and adventure simmering." It makes me wonder about the man himself, John Arkins. Do you think the artist was trying to capture his essence, his spirit, in this little card? Curator: Possibly. More likely, it speaks to the larger-than-life personas the cigarette company wanted to associate with their brand. Heroes, both real and imagined, all packaged together with a promise of something more, something grand. Did it work? I imagine the aroma of tobacco mingled with big dreams, yes it probably did. Editor: So, less about Arkins himself, and more about selling an image, a feeling... Curator: Precisely! Though I still think there is something powerful about his stern and rather romantic likeness being combined with his Denver news beat. Editor: This makes me see the piece in a completely new light. Thanks so much. Curator: My pleasure! A tiny card holding a vast, layered narrative. Art is sneaky that way.