William Tecumseh Sherman, from the Great Generals series (N15) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: Up next, we have "William Tecumseh Sherman, from the Great Generals series" a print made around 1888 by Allen & Ginter, now residing here at The Met. Editor: Wow, first glance? It's got this slightly… caricatured feel. Sherman looks almost too rosy-cheeked. A little like a child playing dress up as a general. Is it just me? Curator: Not just you! It's fascinating how they tried to package military prowess. These were cigarette cards, intended to stiffen the packs and tempt buyers, weren't meant to capture the grit of the battlefield, I suspect. Editor: Ah, gotcha. So, less about historical accuracy, more about...collectibility and brand appeal? That explains the slightly flattened perspective, the emphasis on costume and those… intense red cheeks. And the patriotic shield above his name. Curator: Precisely. There's a curious contrast: the serious military garb complete with the gold sash versus that simplified, almost cartoonish representation of Sherman himself. Makes one ponder how easily heroism can be commodified. Editor: Makes me wonder, what did folks back then make of this? Were they even thinking this deep, or was it just another puff, a collectible, onto the next one? This really collapses time, doesn't it? A general reduced to tobacco advertisement! Curator: It does challenge our perspectives. Now, consider the material of these cards - how humble is the method by which stories of these figures were spread. Editor: A lot of nuance packed into something so small and everyday. I still can't get over how approachable they make him look despite him probably having given people nightmares... And the company's name right on the frame as an integral component! Allen & Ginter really sold the image AND the promise. Okay, that’s wicked smart. Curator: And, isn't that what portraiture is ultimately about? Mediating between reality and a story we wish to tell... or, sell? In either case, a portrait for the ages – and on cigarettes! Editor: Definitely sparks a re-think! A real peek behind the smoke-screen, ha! It certainly makes me question the very notion of what public figures "are".