Badge of the Society of Cincinnati, United States of America, from the World's Decorations series (N44) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have an 1890 print from Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, titled "Badge of the Society of Cincinnati, United States of America, from the World's Decorations series." It's delicate and ornate, like a page from a scrapbook. What strikes you most about it? Curator: It’s the layering of symbols. Look at the eagle, a recurrent figure of power and authority extending back millennia; then encased within it, the figures referencing Cincinnatus, a Roman citizen-soldier who exemplified civic virtue. How do these layers of symbolism, old and new, shape your understanding of American identity? Editor: I see the classical allusions, definitely meant to create a powerful visual message. But putting it on a cigarette card, was that a way to make it more accessible, more…everyday? Curator: Exactly. The image enters into homes, lives, pockets; it becomes part of the collective consciousness. The badge becomes not just a symbol of the elite society, but an ideal disseminated amongst the populace. Do you see any tension between these functions? Editor: Now that you point that out, it seems so strange to put this elaborate image on something so transient! So, the cigarette card served as both a historical document and a tool for shaping contemporary values? Curator: Precisely! By re-interpreting past images for contemporary ideals, images such as these influence the trajectory of our collective cultural memory. Editor: This makes me think about the responsibility of visual representation—how we choose images to represent ourselves matters so much! Curator: Indeed! Visuals aren't simply passive representations. Instead, they have the profound power to actively influence our culture and shape our perceptions.