Persian Greyhound, from the Dogs of the World series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

Editor: This is “Persian Greyhound, from the Dogs of the World series for Old Judge Cigarettes” from 1890, created by Goodwin & Company. It's a colored pencil drawing and print. It’s amazing to think this was on a cigarette card! It has an almost fragile feel about it, with that pale wash of blue at the base. What stands out to you? Curator: Oh, that little wash of blue is everything! For me, it's less about dogs or cigarettes and more about that Japonisme influence, isn’t it? This delicate rendering— it feels like a fleeting moment captured with such grace. It reminds me of those wistful dreams of Ukiyo-e prints... How do you interpret that tight red collar the Greyhound is wearing? Editor: Hmm, I hadn’t really thought about it. Maybe it suggests domestication, that it is 'owned' despite its elegant appearance. Or, given the cigarette card context, maybe it hints at a fashionable lifestyle? Curator: Fashionable indeed! Think about the time; consider what Japonisme was meant to signify in Western culture. An exotic refinement, accessible to a select few. That collar is a mark of distinction. Perhaps we’re buying not just a cigarette, but a whole aspirational world. Doesn't that just tickle your imagination? Editor: It definitely does now! I didn’t realise how much depth there was to unpack from something as small as a cigarette card. It makes you think about all the layers of meaning embedded in everyday objects. Curator: Absolutely! And that’s the real beauty, isn’t it? That art, even in its most unassuming form, can whisper secrets about who we are, or who we aspire to be.