Military Order of St. George, Russia, from the World's Decorations series (N30) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: We're looking at "Military Order of St. George, Russia," a print made with ink and colored pencils around 1890 by Allen & Ginter. The object has a very contained feel, maybe because of its original function as a collectible card. It's so precise. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: What grabs me first is how a symbol, a *thing* meant to signify bravery, honor, the best of the best, gets miniaturized and disseminated. Think about it: this wasn’t adorning the chest of some general, right? It was tucked into a pack of cigarettes! There’s a delicious irony, a kind of… playful commentary embedded right there. And notice the colours? Black and orange… a surprisingly bold combination, but muted. Almost autumnal. How about you; what resonates? Editor: The St. George slaying the dragon in the center seems to contradict the quiet feeling the colours give off. Is that common for imagery on these kinds of medals? Curator: Absolutely! St. George is like, *the* go-to dragon slayer. And the imagery is often more vibrant. This feels…tamed. Like a fairy tale recounted after too much tea, maybe. But this card and others like it became part of the fabric of everyday life for late 19th-century smokers! Aren't these bizarre juxtapositions strangely… beautiful? Editor: They really are. Seeing something so historically significant reframed as an everyday object really makes you think about the changing nature of value. Curator: Exactly! And that’s the magic, isn’t it? Finding unexpected beauty where you least expect it. Editor: Definitely. I will never look at a cigarette card the same way again.