A Short History: General John Brown Gordon, from the Histories of Generals series (N114) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco 1888

Curator: This small color print, created around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., is part of their "Histories of Generals" series, meant to promote their "Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco". It depicts General John Brown Gordon of Confederate Army. Editor: The pastel palette feels quite dissonant, actually. Such delicate colors juxtaposed with imagery of war... there’s a tension that's almost unsettling. Curator: Absolutely. Notice the idealized portrait of Gordon, presented as a dignified leader, contrasted with the bottom right panel. We see a fallen soldier, a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict. These images clash deliberately. The artist uses a popular advertising technique to generate more attention, by telling short story with images about J. B. Gordon to sale smoking tobacco. Editor: Right, this layering creates a fascinating narrative. We have this almost romanticized image of the General and below that one that bluntly showcase its price. This reminds that every image of leadership, especially of people like Gordon, carries an implicit commentary on issues of power and exploitation of working people. Curator: Indeed. The oak leaves, framing "Smoking and Chewing Tobacco," are rich in symbolic resonance, they historically point to courage and endurance but perhaps they are alluding to a distorted southern interpretation that values endurance as means to validate injustice and social inequality. Editor: The layout is clearly designed to be easily legible. Even the typography carries a sense of this dual narrative, shifting between romantic script and very direct and commercial wording of tobacco promotions. It is almost like different emotional and visual hooks created to appeal and connect with different types of consumers. Curator: These cards like these weren't merely advertisements. They were also powerful tools in shaping collective memory. Think about it—distributing images of Civil War generals alongside tobacco products… the choice normalizes specific narrative around this general. Editor: This print shows that history can be a powerful, ever-evolving set of constructed symbols with a very dangerous intent, whether in textbooks or in marketing campaigns. Curator: A fitting observation to keep in mind whenever we are studying a work like this. Editor: Exactly. Thanks for opening this interesting window to explore how representation carries multiple significations.