Stevens, Bicyclist, from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1888

Curator: This is "Stevens, Bicyclist," a portrait from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes, created around 1888. Editor: My initial thought is how clean the lines and flat color fields are. There's a certain stylistic grace that anticipates the aesthetics of modern graphic design and echoes Ukiyo-e prints. Curator: Precisely! What you're observing are visual components consciously designed for mass production and consumption. Consider how this portrait, printed on a small card, functioned as part of a promotional strategy. Cigarette companies like Goodwin & Company commissioned these to be included in their packaging, fueling consumer desire. Editor: The colors, although simple, enhance its mass appeal; however, that mustache is an eye catcher. Curator: It really stands out and gives us insight into social constructs and gender. The carefully shaped facial hair signals social status. These cards were meant to portray ideals, fashion, or aspiration for cigarette consumers. The mustache contributes to this statement. Editor: I am sure that, at the time, the consumers would be very interested in an ideal, although fictional one, just to get away from their daily lives. Also, the use of drawing and printing is clever as an ideal representation is generated for the observer. Curator: The method of lithography utilized by printing facilitates widespread distribution. The choices in materials like the cheap card stock highlights production imperatives over the values of the art market, therefore highlighting the importance of commercialism over artwork value. Editor: This is a compelling example of design created to further and mirror a commodity culture. It reveals, if anything, the values of the industry that gave it birth. Curator: Indeed, our dive illuminates not just the artwork's aesthetic, but how art can perpetuate production. Editor: It has indeed altered my perspective on this artwork's complexity, adding dimension to the simple image of a bicyclist.