General Anthony Wayne, from the series Great Americans (N76) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

Curator: It's wild, isn't it? This odd little card, "General Anthony Wayne, from the series Great Americans," made around 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It was included in cigarette packs. Imagine finding this with your smokes! Editor: My first thought is, what a peculiar way to honor someone. The... heap of symbolic objects towering over his head almost feels disrespectful, definitely diminishes any sense of gravitas. A drinking horn, a tipped over barrel marked "1776," even a sheathed sword... It's a real visual cacophony. Curator: A chaotic good cacophony! It feels very tongue-in-cheek to me, and I love the colors. Sort of bizarrely compelling, almost psychedelic with all those props crammed together like that. This definitely leans into caricature while trying to keep things academic art–ish. The drawing looks stiff as hell, not much artistic sensibility except maybe an art student working on anatomy or a coloring book or something of the like, lol. It doesn’t evoke reverence. I wonder what someone like Wayne, the actual historical figure, would've made of it? Editor: Well, Wayne was a controversial figure. The so-called “Mad Anthony” was known for his... aggressive tactics. The "Great Americans" label here might hide more complex histories of settler colonialism and violence towards indigenous populations. A drinking horn – likely alluding to celebratory toasts and victory—perhaps a too convenient stand-in for complex politics. It makes you consider the way popular imagery reinforces simplistic, often whitewashed narratives of historical figures. And who "deserves" great status. Curator: Absolutely, the card becomes less about Wayne, the man, and more about constructing and selling this palatable version of "American greatness," one that probably helps sell cigarettes, too. The symbolism isn't necessarily about celebrating history but marketing an image—literally papering over something very messy. Editor: Precisely. This commercial, highly stylized representation makes me very uncomfortable because it encourages us to question whose stories get amplified, by whom, and for what purpose. What histories remain unseen, conveniently left out of the frame? Curator: Yes! So while Duke may have seen himself as "honoring" these figures, he’s really marketing a brand through national identity. What a tiny yet powerful capsule of propaganda disguised as collectible ephemera! I'm glad it's here to poke our assumptions about the past. Editor: And to remember how selective our historical narratives often are. This one, tiny picture raises an incredibly complex conversation, all wrapped up in consumer culture.