Order of Saint Michael, Bavaria, from the World's Decorations series (N44) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have "Order of Saint Michael, Bavaria" printed in 1890. It’s from the World's Decorations series created for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. The print, drawing, or poster--depending on how you want to classify it--features really prominent art nouveau stylistic elements. What formal qualities jump out at you when you see it? Curator: I am struck by the hierarchical arrangement. Note the ribbon at the top, a delicate, blue wave edged with a commanding red. This flows downward toward a crown and, finally, the intricate cross, a blue cross with an angelic figure at the heart. Editor: It's a small piece, but somehow conveys a great sense of power. Can you say more about how this hierarchy communicates that? Curator: It is the interplay between line, shape, and color which produces this effect. Consider how the verticality implied by the medal directs the viewer’s gaze down to the angel motif. The use of sharp angles in the cross against the soft, undulating ribbon also provides a certain contrast, doesn’t it? And the use of color strengthens that hierarchy as well: a rich blue palette that’s strategically positioned so it stands out against the creamy, neutral background. How do these relationships inform the subject of the artwork itself? Editor: Interesting! The hierarchy seems to reinforce a spiritual authority linked to earthly power. I hadn't considered the directionality before, how our eyes follow that form. Curator: Precisely. These elements coalesce into an object which exudes a visual authority – the artist utilizes semiotic devices to signify not only “order” as the title says, but to visualize how meaning can become embedded in design. Editor: That close reading of visual organization is helpful. I’ll definitely be looking at prints differently now. Curator: Indeed. Considering such nuances within an artwork helps us move beyond surface appearances to discover deeper visual languages.