Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty, from the Views series (N53, variation 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1886 - 1895

This is a trade card titled 'Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty' printed by Allen & Ginter, probably during the late 1880s, as part of a series promoting Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The sepia tone flattens the image, and the Statue of Liberty emerges, ghostlike, from its ground. The Statue of Liberty is centered, its verticality emphasized against the card's rectangular format. This decision in composition encourages the eye to trace upwards, reinforcing a sense of upwardness and monumentality, even within the card’s small dimensions. The Statue of Liberty can be seen as an exercise in semiotics, where the statue acts as a signifier. The muted tones and soft focus used on the image contrast sharply with the bold text declaring 'Virginia Brights Cigarettes' at the base, an appeal to commerce and consumption. This tension between art and advertisement makes us question the cultural values being promoted and consumed at the time.