Tuberose (Pollanthes tuberosa), from the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

Editor: This is "Tuberose (Pollanthes tuberosa)," a print made around 1890 by Goodwin & Company as part of the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes. I'm struck by the color palette; it's so soft and almost ethereal. What aspects of this work stand out to you? Curator: The chromatic interplay certainly warrants attention. Observe how the artist has juxtaposed the cool cerulean background with the ochre foreground. This contrast serves to accentuate the form of the tuberose itself. The soft hues also give depth to an otherwise flat plane, what is known in semiotics as suggesting volume where it lacks, the artist uses these signifiers as well to separate depth. Editor: So the composition really guides how we perceive the flower? Curator: Precisely. The vertical thrust of the tuberose is crucial. The arrangement elongates and draws the eye upward, creating a sense of elevated formalism. Consider how the density of the blooms shifts from base to tip and how each distinct flower is presented, it’s also important that one appreciates the medium as an intrinsic facet of the work's aesthetic significance, notice that it is a commercial print, designed for mass production, the interplay between design and execution is particularly interesting when taken as a collection with all its variants. Editor: I never thought about it in terms of its original commercial context! It’s amazing how much the arrangement impacts how you read the artwork. Curator: Indeed, formalism encourages us to detach from extraneous elements, so that we can truly grapple with the intrinsic qualities, materiality, the design principles embedded within the work itself. Editor: Thanks. That focus on visual elements gives me a fresh appreciation for the work. Curator: And that is what makes studying art so worth while, to refine your eye and mind.