Governor Luce, Michigan, from "Governors, Arms, Etc." series (N133-2), issued by Duke Sons & Co. 1885 - 1892

Editor: Here we have "Governor Luce, Michigan, from 'Governors, Arms, Etc.' series," dating from about 1885 to 1892, made by W. Duke Sons & Co. It’s a colorful print with an image of the governor flanked by what appears to be a coat of arms and a lumber scene. It feels like a mix of political portrait and advertisement. What symbolic language can you unlock in this peculiar card? Curator: The card speaks volumes about the era's values. The juxtaposition of Governor Luce with the imagery of industry – the lumber scene, the yacht club flag, even the coat of arms with its implication of civic power – positions him as a figure intrinsically linked to Michigan’s economic prosperity. Editor: So, the symbols are tools to associate Luce with success? But why include the image of lumbering at all? It seems almost... disconnected. Curator: Not disconnected at all. Lumbering was a major industry in Michigan at the time. The felled trees represent the harnessing of natural resources, and progress. What does that juxtaposition suggest about the deeper cultural memory and values being invoked here? Editor: Perhaps it suggests a vision of the governor as someone who facilitates or embodies the state's exploitation-- or development -- depending on your point of view? And framing it as a symbol of progress is, itself, revealing. Curator: Precisely. The symbols are not merely decorative; they're actively constructing a narrative. This little card encodes how the tobacco company W. Duke, Sons & Co. wants the public to remember their product and the figure of the Governor as images of commercial and political promise. Editor: That's amazing. It’s incredible how much cultural information can be packed into a seemingly simple advertisement! Curator: Indeed. By decoding the visual symbols, we start to appreciate the narratives an image wants to construct and how it’s connected to wider historical and political currents.