On the New York and New Haven Railroad, from the Snapshots from "Puck" series (N128) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

This promotional print by W. Duke, Sons & Co., captures a scene on the New York and New Haven Railroad, highlighting social tensions through caricature. Note the pointed finger and exaggerated features used to depict stereotypes. The conductor's posture and the passenger's accusing gesture are not mere happenstance; they are loaded with cultural memory. We see echoes of similar accusatory gestures in Renaissance depictions of the Expulsion from Paradise, where Adam and Eve point blame, a primal scene of accusation. Here, it resurfaces in a new context: social commentary on class and immigration. Such gestures tap into collective anxieties, engaging viewers on a subconscious level. The emotional charge of these images is powerful, reflecting and reinforcing societal biases. This simple promotional print becomes a stage where anxieties about identity, class, and belonging are played out, revealing how deeply ingrained these symbols are in our cultural psyche.