Lewis Baker, St. Paul Daily Globe, from the American Editors series (N35) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is Lewis Baker, St. Paul Daily Globe, from the American Editors series for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, dating back to 1887. It's a really interesting pairing, showing Baker alongside what appears to be a landscape print. What stands out to you about this image? Curator: The juxtaposition is precisely what intrigues me. We have this figure, presumably powerful in shaping narratives, positioned next to a romanticized landscape. It invites questions about the role of media, particularly newspapers, in shaping perceptions of the American landscape, both literally and ideologically. How do you see the connection between Baker's portrait and the Falls of Minnehaha image? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way! I suppose I initially saw the landscape as purely decorative. But maybe there's something more deliberate in its inclusion. What does this tell us about how we are supposed to understand Baker and his work at the Daily Globe? Curator: Exactly! Consider that this was the late 19th century. Manifest Destiny, westward expansion, and the construction of an "American" identity were all hot topics. How did newspapers like the Daily Globe contribute to these narratives? Were they objective reporters, or active participants in promoting certain agendas? Editor: That's a really important point. So, it's not just a pretty landscape, but a symbol, perhaps, of the very ideas Baker was helping to disseminate through his newspaper? What sources can tell us more? Curator: Precisely. This image then acts as a window into understanding the complexities of media representation during a pivotal moment in American history, reflecting issues of race, class and social structure. Consider digging into period publications or perhaps sociological studies. Editor: Wow, I never thought a little cigarette card could be so revealing! It makes me see how much context matters when we're looking at art. Curator: Indeed. And how art can illuminate that context, prompting critical discussions.