Trieste, from the City Flags series (N6) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

Editor: This small coloured-pencil drawing and print is titled "Trieste, from the City Flags series," made in 1887 by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. The flag dominates the image, obscuring most of the cityscape, and it feels almost… aggressive in its display of power. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: That "aggression" you sense might stem from the intersection of nationalism and commercialism at play here. Think about it: a cigarette company using city flags. How does the act of consumption, specifically smoking, become intertwined with patriotic feelings and the construction of national identity? Editor: So, it’s not just a picture of a flag; it’s about linking the pleasure of smoking to the idea of national pride? Curator: Exactly. Consider also that Allen & Ginter was an American company depicting a European city. What narrative is being constructed about America's relationship to the world, particularly in a period of expanding colonialism? Is it a celebration of global diversity or something more… exploitative? How might we read this through the lens of postcolonial theory? Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn’t considered. I was only focusing on the image itself, not the wider implications of who made it and why. The choice of Trieste, with its own complex history as a multicultural port city, feels especially loaded now. Curator: Indeed. And the relatively small size, meant for collecting, almost transforms national symbols into collectible commodities, cheapening them while simultaneously reinforcing their importance. What does it mean to "own" a nation's symbol in this way? Editor: It makes me question the ways we take national symbols at face value without considering the context in which they are presented. Thanks, that’s given me a lot to think about. Curator: And it reminds us that even seemingly simple images can be powerful tools in shaping perceptions of identity, power, and global relationships.