Admiral, Sweden, from the Naval Flags series (N17) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886 - 1891

This small chromolithograph of ‘Admiral, Sweden, from the Naval Flags series’ was created by Allen & Ginter for cigarette brands. The composition is split between the flags of Sweden on the right, and the portrait of an admiral to the left. Notice how the flags are not just symbols of national identity, but active forms that occupy the pictorial space. The layering of patterns and emblems challenges any straightforward reading. The flags themselves present bold vertical lines and geometric shapes, yet the backdrop is an ornate, almost baroque pattern. This contrast between the flag and the patterned background highlights a tension between order and complexity. The portrait of the admiral, framed by a golden, circular border, seems almost detached from the vivid symbolism of the flags. It asks us to think about how images, like flags and portraits, signify identity and power. The very act of combining the two into a single frame questions fixed meanings and suggests a fluid play of signs.