Eddystone, English Channel, from the Lighthouses series (N119) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

This is a promotional lithograph of the Eddystone Lighthouse in the English Channel, created around the turn of the 20th century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise Honest Long Cut Tobacco. These cards were collected and traded, and the images often depicted scenes of adventure, industry, and technology which highlighted the progress of Western society. The Eddystone Lighthouse, standing defiant against the sea, was more than a navigational aid; it symbolized Britain's maritime power and industrial prowess. As such, the lighthouse speaks to both the heroic narrative of the lone man battling the elements, and a colonial narrative of trade and power. Note the small boat with its lone sailor; his diminutive scale emphasizes both the vastness of the sea and the solid height of the lighthouse. This image also prompts questions about labor and class. Who built these lighthouses, and at what cost? What lives depended on its light? What stories of migrants and trade are intertwined with the beams that cut through the night? Although this image presents a vision of progress and safety, it also speaks to the human costs of such endeavors.