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

This small lithograph entitled 'Marseilles' was made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. The eye is immediately drawn to the upper left, where the crisp blue and white flag of Marseilles dominates the composition, its stark geometry contrasting with the more picturesque landscape below. The flag, a symbol of civic identity, is rendered with flat blocks of colour, typical of commercial printing. Yet, it flutters, hinting at movement and freedom. Beneath it, a romantic scene unfolds with a waterfall, lush vegetation, and pastel-coloured flowers. This juxtaposition of the geometric and the organic creates an intriguing tension. The commercial purpose of this artwork cannot be ignored, as it uses semiotic tools to associate the exotic appeal of Marseilles with the allure of cigarettes. This conflation of the symbolic and the real invites us to question the values assigned to both national identity and consumer culture.