Melville E. Stone, The Chicago Daily News, from the American Editors series (N1) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This small card, printed by Allen & Ginter for their cigarettes, presents Melville E. Stone, of The Chicago Daily News. The backdrop is a wall of printed text, symbolizing the newspaper's pervasive presence in society. Here, Stone is captured in profile, a convention reaching back to ancient Roman portraiture, evoking notions of authority and the enduring power of the press. This pose lends a sense of timelessness to the subject, suggesting that Stone, and by extension his newspaper, are figures of lasting significance. The profile, think of ancient coins and busts, communicates an idea of lasting legacy. Notice how this motif has been passed down, shifting in meaning from imperial power to the modern influence of media. Subconsciously, the viewer recognizes the visual language of authority, now applied to a figure in the burgeoning world of American journalism. Just as those classical profiles aimed to project an image of strength and stability, so too does this portrait, suggesting that the press is a cornerstone of modern life. It emphasizes a cyclical progression, a resurfacing of forms, with new meanings in altered contexts.