General Admiral, Russia, from the Naval Flags series (N17) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886 - 1891

Editor: So, this is "General Admiral, Russia," from the Naval Flags series, made by Allen & Ginter between 1886 and 1891. It’s a print with watercolor and colored pencil on paper. It strikes me as this odd miniature, a snapshot of imperial power shrunk down. What do you make of its condensed scale and its connection to something like cigarettes? Curator: Ah, it’s a mighty thing in a tiny package, isn’t it? It's interesting that you pick up on that imperial feel; that little eagle practically shouts "czar!" And yes, shrunk down like this, nestled with cigarettes...it becomes this readily available symbol. Think about who's collecting these; they are literally consuming this image, and what does that tell us about power? About collecting and about aspiration? It's this almost unsettling mix of the everyday and the...well, undeniably grandiose. Editor: That’s such a good point! The act of consumption mirroring the consumption of power... almost like a talisman, a piece of Russia in your pocket. Does the miniature scale make it more accessible, do you think, less intimidating? Curator: Intriguing! Is it more accessible, or does it simply *become* less real? Easier to idealize when it’s detached from, say, actual naval battles, real geopolitical maneuvering? I’m now thinking about those model train sets... or is that just me going off on a tangent? Editor: Not at all! It's all connected. The personal and the historical converging through these tiny objects. Curator: Absolutely. It's remarkable how such a small, mass-produced object can spark such large, weighty questions. And that, I suppose, is the magic trick of art in any form. Editor: Yeah, I see that now. Thanks for making me think about the grand in the minuscule!