Plate 12, from the Fans of the Period series (N7) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

Editor: Here we have "Plate 12, from the Fans of the Period series" created in 1889 for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. It's a coloured-pencil print that depicts a woman holding a peacock feather fan. It’s got this kind of dreamlike, hazy feel. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: This image speaks volumes about the means of production and consumption in the late 19th century. It's not just a pretty picture, but a commodity produced as part of the marketing machine of Allen & Ginter cigarettes. Consider the material – a mass-produced print, distributed with tobacco products. How does this context change your understanding of the image? Editor: I guess it makes it feel less like 'high art' and more like…advertising? Like it's less about the woman in the picture, and more about selling a product. Curator: Exactly! It blurs the boundaries between art and commodity. Who were the artists? Were they recognized? Were they adequately compensated? We also need to consider the social context of smoking. Was this imagery particularly targeted at women, given their emerging roles? Editor: That’s a good point. It’s interesting to think about the labor involved in both the creation of the image and the mass production of cigarettes themselves. It makes the image itself seem less innocent, almost complicit in the whole process. Curator: Precisely. By examining the material reality of this print—its purpose, its distribution, and the labor behind it—we move beyond mere aesthetics. What does it say about class and industrialization? It’s crucial to see this piece not just as a portrait, but as a cultural artifact, a symptom of its time. Editor: That’s definitely given me a new perspective. I never would have thought about it beyond just a pretty image on a cigarette card! Thanks for pointing out the historical and industrial context, that definitely deepens my appreciation, and I'll never see them the same again! Curator: It's crucial to think about who made this, how, and why. Everything in art is interconnected, from concept to reception and ultimately, consumption.