Lugano, December 1928 1928

Erich Salomon captured this photograph in Lugano, December 1928. The visual center is dominated by men in suits, gathered around a table, cigars in hand, emblems of power and discourse. These cigars are not mere accessories, but rather potent symbols of authority and camaraderie. We see their echoes in countless depictions of rulers and thinkers across eras. Think of emperors portrayed with scepters, or Renaissance merchants clasping globes. The cigar, in this context, becomes a modern scepter, a tool of negotiation, a signal of status. Consider how such symbols evolve. The scepter, once representing divine right, morphs into the cigar, signifying economic or political clout. This transformation is not linear but cyclical. It resurfaces in our collective memory. The gesture of holding a cigar, the act of lighting it, engages viewers on a deep, subconscious level. It is a visual shorthand that conveys intense emotional states, such as confidence. The photograph is not simply a snapshot, but a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level, a testament to the enduring power of symbols to transcend time.