Ricksecker Perfumes c. 1892

Louis Rhead made this advertisement for Ricksecker Perfumes as a color lithograph, around the turn of the century in the United States. The image unabashedly connects American commerce with classical mythology and world domination. Columbia, the female personification of the United States, sails forth in a boat adorned with an eagle figurehead, accompanied by a cherubic figure, and both proffer bottles of perfume. Note the phrase at the bottom, "Sold around the civilized world," which tells us much about the imperialist ambitions of the era. And the globe above reminds us that this is about more than just the United States. We can learn more about the cultural context of this image by delving into sources from the period, such as magazines, newspapers, and business records. These resources help us interpret the meaning of the art and understand how cultural and institutional settings have shaped our understanding of it.