Boot, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 5) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Editor: Here we have "Boot, from the Novelties series," created around 1889 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It's a color print, quite small, housed here at the Met. What first strikes me is the oddness of the composition -- a woman emerging from the top of a boot. It feels like something out of a dream. What do you make of this, putting your curator hat on? Curator: A dream, precisely! Or perhaps a mischievous wink from the past. Imagine a world swimming in advertisements – sensory overload! To stand out, you need to be, well, a tad bizarre. This “Boot” print is one of many such quirky novelties handed out with tobacco products. Pure whimsy! Editor: So, its artistic merit is tied to its function as advertising? Does it draw from a particular style? Curator: Exactly! Though calling it ‘high art’ might raise some eyebrows. Its charm lies in its function. Now, if we squint a bit and let our imagination loose, we might see a echo of the Japanese Ukiyo-e prints then flooding Western art. The flattened perspective, the decorative element… Perhaps the artist glanced at a Hokusai print while sketching. What do you think? Editor: That’s a really interesting connection. I can almost see it! It definitely has a playful, eye-catching design. I guess advertisements can be a form of folk art too! Curator: Nicely put! Perhaps it’s less about profound meaning, and more about capturing a fleeting smile, a spark of playful surrealism in a Victorian pocket. Editor: It certainly worked. It has my attention even now. Curator: And perhaps that is magic enough for a boot full of dreams.