Amiens, from the City Flags series (N6) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

Editor: This is a print from 1887, “Amiens, from the City Flags series (N6) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands.” I'm struck by how it combines heraldry with a sort of idealized landscape view. What connections do you see between the images and the historical context in which it was created? Curator: Well, considering this was a promotional item for cigarettes, it immediately raises questions about the political economy of taste and desire. How is a city like Amiens, likely unfamiliar to many consumers, being used to elevate the perceived value of tobacco? Editor: So, you think it’s about imbuing the cigarettes with a sense of European sophistication? Curator: Precisely. The flags represent established power, evoking ideas of history, prestige, and perhaps even empire. Meanwhile, consider the cityscapes included; they present carefully constructed visions. Who benefits from this idealized presentation? What realities are being obscured or actively ignored to perpetuate that image? Editor: That’s fascinating. It really wasn't something I thought about on first viewing, but now I wonder if it's meant to distract from the darker realities of labor practices connected with the tobacco industry? Curator: Exactly. And we might also reflect on the cultural politics inherent in distributing these images so widely. This distribution through consumer culture serves a powerful, even if subtle, form of cultural and political persuasion. Editor: I see, it is a piece that really demands we look at art, commerce, and history altogether. Thanks for making me think deeper. Curator: Indeed. Examining these visual traces, helps us decode the persuasive messages embedded in everyday objects.