Admiral, Norway, from the Naval Flags series (N17) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886 - 1891

Editor: This chromolithograph, "Admiral, Norway," is part of the Naval Flags series made by Allen & Ginter between 1886 and 1891. What strikes me is the vibrant contrast between the gold background and the admiral’s bright uniform and the Norwegian flag, almost like a small jewel. It feels both formal and oddly playful. What's your take on this, seeing it with fresh eyes? Curator: Playful is spot-on! It's easy to forget these were essentially trading cards slipped into cigarette packs. That format immediately suggests a disposability at odds with the enduring artistry. This work screams Japonisme—that Western craze for all things Japanese! Notice the flat planes of color, the sharp outlines, the emphasis on design over realism... almost like a ukiyo-e woodblock print adapted to depict a Norwegian naval officer. What do you think about that contrast? Editor: So, it's like a mashup of cultures and purposes, high art meets low culture advertising? Curator: Precisely! Allen & Ginter were masters of that, democratizing art in a way that also, let's be honest, pushed product. But think about the Victorian fascination with collecting and classifying; it's like a pocket-sized encyclopedia of the world presented as something to casually collect in packs of cigarettes! Also notice the very small details like the stitching details and even some aging, that's important when you understand what this image represents and symbolizes, that era was all about this, if this item was pristine, something would be off... Editor: Wow, I didn't even consider the collectibility aspect, that makes it a whole other layer. Seeing art in everyday objects makes the familiar extraordinary. I'll certainly look at these trading cards differently now! Curator: It truly embodies that time's strange concoction, which is very interesting in its own right. It leaves me with a very distinct aftertaste that is very rich, that is to say, one can write multiple books and still not discover everything about this piece.