Life of James Gillespie Blaine, from the Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People series of booklets (N79) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small booklet, made around 1880 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., presents the 'Life of James Gillespie Blaine.' It’s part of a series called 'Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People,' meant to be collected with Duke brand cigarettes. The very concept of it, though small in scale, echoes the grand narratives of ancient Roman triumphs, where the lives of leaders were paraded to inspire awe and civic duty. It reminds me of the 'imagines'—ancestral masks—displayed in Roman homes, meant to connect families to their glorious past. This image, too, serves to ennoble Blaine. It's also a symbol of its time—the late 19th century—a period hungry for heroes and moral tales. Just as the ancients used myths, so too did this era craft legends of self-made men. The booklet, like those masks and triumphs, speaks to our human need for role models and the enduring power of images to shape how we remember and aspire.