Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts, from the Presidential Possibilities series (N124) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

Editor: This is a rather curious image titled "Benjamin F. Butler of Massachusetts," created in 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a print. It feels like a satirical portrait, a caricature almost. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This image offers a fascinating glimpse into 19th-century American political culture through the lens of popular media. Notice how Butler’s features are exaggerated? The size of his head, his nose and the fleshy lower face were not accidents, and what is more intriguing than the symbols chosen? How might these design choices inform our reading of the subject, considering the series is titled “Presidential Possibilities”? Editor: I hadn't considered how intentional the exaggerations might be! What symbols stand out to you? Curator: Well, let's think about it. Consider the very fact that this image was produced as a promotional item for tobacco. What does that association imply, in terms of the Presidential hopeful? It's a critique, using visual shorthand accessible to the masses. How does the image use caricature to build political imagery into shared cultural space, and with what effect? Editor: That's fascinating. So the medium itself, a tobacco card, is part of the message. The exaggerated features almost become symbolic of, perhaps, perceived flaws or weaknesses. Curator: Precisely! It uses familiar visual language to sway public opinion. It draws on existing cultural understanding and memory. It becomes part of a larger narrative beyond just a simple portrait. This continuity echoes much earlier formats and purposes. Editor: I see! It’s more than just a picture; it's a cultural artifact loaded with meaning. Thanks, I never considered it in that light. Curator: It shows how images and visual cues act to reinforce cultural memory and cultural value judgements, often unexamined. It is the real subject of many such portraits and likenesses.