A Short History of General John A. Logan, from the Histories of Generals series of booklets (N78) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

Curator: I always thought that these tobacco cards from the 1880s were little time capsules of… well, really blatant advertising, but also genuine artistry. This one depicts General John A. Logan, doesn’t he look dashing? It was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of their "Histories of Generals" series. Editor: Well, "dashing" is one word for it. I immediately think of a tightly wound music box about to burst. It's… intensely concentrated, isn't it? Look at how contained he is within that oval. Curator: Contained and yet promoted, because even the tight framing focuses your attention on his face. Notice the detail of the mustache. I feel as though I can touch its individual strands! Editor: True! The visual hierarchy is brilliant. The swirling text up top, “A Short History of,” it's all window dressing for the main attraction: that meticulously rendered portrait and the authoritative lettering that spells out "Gen. Logan" beneath him. But I wonder about that history. Do you think it delivers on its titular promise? Curator: Ha! These booklets usually contain little more than embellished biography—heroic episodes, virtues… I mean it's practically hagiography wrapped around an advertisement. Think of them as trading cards. There was even a baseball series! Editor: So, the historical narrative serves less as record and more as brand enhancement through association? The General's prestige… Curator: … rubs off on the tobacco. Absolutely! It’s like saying, “Smoke these cigarettes and you too can aspire to such greatness!” Or at least enjoy a pleasant smoke. Editor: It makes one ponder what these images tell us about society in 1888. This form of semiotic transfer reveals something. A longing for a hero and the rise of the corporation using heroic figures for selling the American dream? Curator: That’s a profound insight and explains how popular figures, such as Civil War generals, became embedded in our national psyche via commercial culture. I shall certainly think of that from now on when looking at these cards! Editor: Absolutely. There’s so much encoded information that, even now, shapes our interpretation of history and commerce. It makes the casual viewer think twice about even the most ordinary pieces of ephemera.