Robert T. Lincoln of Illinois, from the Presidential Possibilities series (N124) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

Editor: So, here we have "Robert T. Lincoln of Illinois," from 1888, part of the "Presidential Possibilities" series made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It's a printed drawing, probably a lithograph. I’m struck by the almost hyper-realistic detail for what seems like a promotional item. What's your take on it? Curator: The materiality of this image is key. It’s a tobacco card, meant to be consumed and discarded. Yet, consider the labor involved. From the artist creating the original drawing, the printing process using lithography – likely involving multiple workers and machines – to the distribution methods tied to the consumption of tobacco, a booming industry at the time. Editor: That makes sense. It bridges that high art/low art divide, doesn't it? The artistry is undeniable, but the purpose is so... commercial. Curator: Exactly! How does the seemingly straightforward portrait operate as a cog within a much larger system? These cards weren't just about promoting a presidential candidate; they were about building a brand, a lifestyle associated with leisure and consumption. Think about the message it sends about who gets to participate in the political process through owning or consuming such products. Editor: It’s interesting to think of political imagery functioning as essentially, advertising, for both a person *and* a product. It’s about creating desires. Curator: Precisely. What's being sold here? Is it just Robert Lincoln, or the entire system that made his potential presidency – and the tobacco industry's influence – possible? Consider how the 'honest' cut tobacco slogan attempts to project reliability onto a product now understood as inherently harmful. The image becomes part of a network of manipulation. Editor: Wow, I didn't even think about it that way. I guess I was only considering the image, not its industrial context and how it was created and distributed. Curator: Art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Understanding its production, materials, and consumption gives us a much richer reading.