Edward England, Marooned, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1886 - 1891

Editor: Here we have “Edward England, Marooned,” from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series, made by Allen & Ginter sometime between 1886 and 1891, a colored pencil drawing reproduced as a print for cigarette cards. I’m struck by the almost playful depiction of such a brutal scene. What stands out to you? Curator: I am intrigued by the method of production itself. That Allen & Ginter used colored pencil drawings reproduced as prints highlights a tension between artistry and commercial production. Cigarette cards were, after all, a mass-produced item, highlighting consumerism and its reliance on readily available imagery to drive up the sales of their products. Editor: So the value isn't necessarily in the image itself but in its function as part of a larger commercial enterprise? Curator: Precisely. It also points towards a hierarchy of artistic labor. Consider how artists employed by companies such as Allen & Ginter, mass producing collectible images for commercial consumption, might be perceived relative to artists creating for traditional patronage systems of the time. Editor: Interesting. It makes me think about how different materials would change hands, and the value placed on them… I guess I always viewed these things as trivial, but this has shifted my perspective! Curator: Indeed. Analyzing the materiality and mode of production provides crucial insight into understanding the social and economic circumstances in which art is created and consumed. And remember that such ‘trivial’ mass produced imagery formed the visual environment for ordinary people.