Emperor's Birthday, Austria, from the Holidays series (N80) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

Curator: This piece, entitled "Emperor's Birthday, Austria," is part of the Holidays series (N80) created around 1890 for Duke brand cigarettes. Editor: My first thought is, this has a dreamlike quality. The allegorical female figure, the imperial portrait – it all feels quite staged, as one might expect from marketing materials of the time. Curator: Precisely. These cards, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co., offer a glimpse into how nationalism was being commodified. What we see is a commercial fusion of academic art with ukiyo-e elements. Note the watercolor illustration, which feels designed for mass appeal, attempting to render a sense of luxury. Editor: The way the female figure is positioned, draped in fabric with that raised arm… it almost feels like a performance of empire. The emperor, surrounded by symbols of state, including what appears to be the Austro-Hungarian coat of arms, represents centralized power, even while advertised alongside a consumer product. I wonder, what statements it make about identity and consumption for a wide, mainly male, audience? Curator: It underscores how marketing cultivated a specific cultural identity intertwined with imperial pride. The free card could be collected or traded, thereby reinforcing and circulating these values and notions, embedded within the very mundane act of cigarette consumption. Editor: This small card speaks to much larger narratives. By examining its symbolism, technique, and the social context of its distribution, we can reveal intersections between commercialism, political imagery, and the reinforcement of specific imperial narratives during this period. It all appears aimed to associate Duke cigarettes with something larger, something important, maybe even something lasting like the Emperor and his Empire. Curator: Agreed. A potent example of how visual culture, even in seemingly ephemeral forms, played a key role in shaping public perceptions. Editor: And for me, this piece really reminds me to question and to see how we can challenge similar subtle reinforcement that exist today through other marketing means.