George S. Murray, from the Sea Captains series (N127) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1887

Curator: Looking at this piece, I immediately get a sense of wistful sea adventures, the romance of distant ports and...tobacco! It's quaint. Editor: Yes, it certainly is! What we're observing is a lithograph from 1887 titled "George S. Murray, from the Sea Captains series (N127) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco." It’s part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I find the layering of commerce and portraiture quite intriguing. Curator: Oh, definitely! He seems… well, almost too clean-cut for a sea captain, you know? Almost like a painting, with its dreamy colors! And "Honest Long Cut"? What a claim. But the softness of it, it almost feels… French, maybe Impressionistic, despite its American origins. Am I stretching? Editor: Perhaps not. Though identified as a lithograph print and drawing, this example toys with techniques to enhance dimensionality. The face seems delicately drawn and softened to give this rugged sea captain more romantic features, framed against the hard edge of the marine backdrop. See how the clouds, rather than providing depth, are flattening? This technique flattens and simplifies forms, something also found in Impressionism. It also serves the purpose of elevating him from a mere sailor into a noble icon. Curator: I can definitely see the ‘icon’ vibe! There's this... manufactured air about it, but not entirely unsuccessful. I guess you needed that distinguished air when trying to sell chewing tobacco. Editor: Precisely! Let's consider that it served as commercial art first and foremost, and yet we now regard it as an object of artistic merit on display in The Met! It’s about the visual appeal catching one's eye to make an emotional connection: smoke “Honest Long Cut” and live with adventure! The details invite a longer gaze; there are subtle layers that create depth. It suggests a fascinating study in contrasting values. Curator: I think it succeeds as a tiny time capsule. "Honest Long Cut" is definitely sticking in my head. Overall, I enjoy it! And maybe want some pipe tobacco, too… Editor: Indeed. It’s an evocative example of its kind—an intriguing artifact of a bygone era of maritime aspirations and...tobacco marketing!