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

Editor: This is "Nebraska, from Flags of the States and Territories," a print made by Allen & Ginter in 1888 as a promotional item for cigarettes. I’m struck by the folksy, almost naive depiction of the scene. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this image through the lens of advertising and state identity formation during that period. This print, produced by a cigarette company, exoticizes Nebraska and equates its image with westward expansion and notions of American progress. Given that this was also a time of violent displacement of indigenous populations and a rapidly shifting agricultural landscape, what unspoken narratives do you think this idealized image serves to obscure? Editor: I hadn't considered that. The depiction of the blacksmith, the cattle... it all seems to reinforce a very specific, perhaps sanitized, narrative about the state's identity, ignoring those violent realities. Curator: Exactly. The banner proclaims "Equality Before the Law" – what does equality look like in a nation expanding through dispossession and, not coincidentally, benefiting from enslaved labor? It's a statement rife with historical irony, wouldn't you agree? Editor: It really does shift my perception of what initially seemed like a harmless image. Knowing the context makes it feel much more complicated and unsettling. Curator: Thinking about the power dynamics embedded within these seemingly simple images forces us to grapple with the uncomfortable truths behind the romanticized versions of history we often consume. I think we both learned about this. Editor: It highlights how art, even in the form of advertising, can be a powerful tool for shaping perceptions and perpetuating particular ideologies.