Under Inspection, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: It feels a bit like peeking into a bygone era, doesn't it? It has an old postcard aesthetic to it. Editor: Absolutely. This is "Under Inspection, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands," dating back to 1888. Currently it's housed here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What initially captures you about it? Curator: The umbrella first. A tightly furled, red torpedo with a pink bow tied to the end of it—both threatening and dainty at once, like an ironic gesture. Editor: Right. Allen & Ginter were, of course, a cigarette company. They produced these cards as collectibles inserted into their cigarette packs. These sets often depicted actresses, sports figures, and what they termed "types of nations," often showcasing contemporary ideals of beauty or social roles. It's fascinating how consumer culture used art. Curator: It’s funny, in retrospect. I imagine someone sitting, smoking, idly admiring this image... her self-possession makes her seem so cool and aloof. Like she knows she's being observed and finds the whole idea somewhat amusing. I wonder what "Under Inspection" is supposed to mean? Editor: I think it is pointing out her quality, as in “She is up to our high standards.” I see the artwork fitting squarely into late 19th-century attitudes towards women, both idealizing and objectifying them. These cards circulated widely, embedding specific images of femininity into the cultural landscape. Curator: And yet, she doesn't seem entirely passive, does she? There's a definite gaze being returned. It really plays to anxieties about wealth and gender expectations of the time. That very elaborate hat suggests she had some coin... Editor: Exactly! We can see these images now as complex reflections, tiny portals into a past where art, commerce, and social ideology were thoroughly intertwined. Curator: Yes, even ephemera like this contains so many whispers about who we were, or perhaps who we wished we were. A window into our own, curated dreams of beauty. Editor: Well said. It certainly makes me reflect on how much the intersection between commerce and identity remains a fascinating arena today.