Samuel Finley Breese Morse, from the series Great Americans (N76) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph of Samuel Finley Breese Morse was created around 1870 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of a series celebrating great Americans. The image is dominated by symbols of communication, specifically those associated with Morse's invention of the telegraph. Note the lines on either side of Morse. These arrangements of dashes and dots visually echo the code he developed, transforming the man himself into a conduit of coded messages, hinting at his innovation and the era’s obsession with decoding nature. The cross-like medals adorning his chest bear a striking resemblance to the iron crosses and religious symbols often seen in various historical contexts, suggesting a symbolic link between Morse's invention and deeper notions of sacrifice and redemption. The telegraph, like other technologies, becomes a carrier of memory and cultural narratives. Just as religious symbols transcend time, taking on different meanings in diverse cultural landscapes, so do our communication technologies. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in our ever-changing cultural landscape.