Harmonica and Tam Tam, from the Musical Instruments series (N121) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

This is "Harmonica and Tam Tam," a chromolithograph from the Musical Instruments series, created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional card for Honest Long Cut Tobacco. The card presents a structural juxtaposition. Three separate insets divide the pictorial space, each showcasing instruments played by female figures or presented as still-life. These compartments create a complex visual hierarchy, reflecting the cultural encoding of music within society. The artist uses pictorial framing to create a comparative dynamic between Western and non-Western musical expressions. Here, both the women and their instruments are displayed as objects of cultural fascination. This formal arrangement invites a semiotic reading where the contrasts in attire, musical instruments, and presentation signify different societal roles and values. This isn't just an aesthetic choice; it reflects the structured power dynamics inherent in late 19th-century marketing and cultural representation.