A.S. Colyar, The Nashville Daily American, from the American Editors series (N35) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

This is a trade card from the late 19th century, made by Allen & Ginter, a cigarette company. It’s part of a series called "American Editors," and this one features A.S. Colyar, of the Nashville Daily American. The card splits its visual field between Colyar's portrait and an image of a steamboat navigating the Tennessee River. The steamboat is "warped through the suck" or dragged by laborers through a narrow or shallow section of the river. Such trade cards were hugely popular, and offer insights into the marketing strategies of the Gilded Age. This card reflects an era of industrial expansion, technological innovation, and westward expansion, all of which are entangled with the history of media institutions. Understanding this image requires looking into the history of journalism, advertising, and the cultural landscape of the late 1800s. Through such research, we reveal the complex social relations that shape the production and consumption of art.