Delaware, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small chromolithograph from around 1888, produced by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, depicts the flag of Delaware. The symbols chosen—a farmer, a rifleman, a sailing ship, wheat, corn, and an ox—speak to the aspirations of a young state. Consider the ox, a beast of burden, its presence echoing through millennia from ancient Minoan frescoes to the canvases of Renaissance masters. It is a motif representing sustenance and the laborious cycle of agriculture. The sailing ship, too, carries the weight of history. It connects Delaware to the broader narrative of trade, exploration, and the establishment of the colonies. The farmer and rifleman embody liberty and independence, ideals deeply embedded in the American psyche. These images are not merely representations but potent symbols that engage our subconscious, evoking a sense of collective memory and shared cultural identity. A yearning for liberty and prosperity, a recurring theme that echoes across time.