Catamaran, from the Types of Vessels series (N139) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the energy of this small print. The boat is caught in a dynamic moment, sails full and waves crashing. It really evokes a sense of adventure and open water. Editor: Indeed. This color lithograph, dating back to 1889, is titled "Catamaran, from the Types of Vessels series." It was issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their Honest Long Cut Tobacco. So, we have an image designed to evoke aspirational lifestyles. Curator: A tobacco advertisement? How interesting! That certainly reframes how I view it. I notice now how idyllic the depiction is, downplaying any potential dangers of sailing. The presence of the vessel itself is quite an important symbol. Editor: Precisely. Note how the composition places the viewer at water level, immersed in the action, even though the perspective remains somewhat distant. This reflects the company’s need to offer consumers an accessible and alluring vision of sailing, of upward mobility through associations. Curator: So, the Catamaran, depicted so close, but beyond actual consumer reach… Editor: The attention to detail, particularly in the rigging and the rendering of the waves, suggests the rising popularity of recreational boating at the end of the 19th century. The symbolism feels deeply intertwined with ideas of leisure and technological advancement, presented in popular visual form for broad circulation. It shows a great adoption of Ukiyo-e’s perspective too. Curator: It’s quite effective. Even knowing it’s an advertisement, the romance of the open sea is still present. There is a universal desire for these symbols of aspiration. Even a brand of tobacco wanted to signal wealth to its consumers! It almost makes you forget the colonial ramifications of that tobacco. Editor: Ultimately, its existence speaks to the democratization of visual culture. Even advertisements became miniature windows onto the world. A moment to promote and consume an idea of progress and luxury with a tiny card. Curator: I’ll admit, I wouldn’t have expected to find such intricate symbolism in something produced for commercial purposes, but I suppose that’s where the power of art resides. Editor: The images we consume do have influence, which means a deeper study of our interaction can always reveal so much about societal and economic systems at work.