Charles Parnell, Member of Parliament, Ireland, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-1) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. 1888

This is "Charles Parnell, Member of Parliament, Ireland," a chromolithograph from around 1887, by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The composition divides the image into three distinct vertical panels, each a semiotic field layered with meaning. On the left, the "Coat of Arms of Ireland" presents a heraldic emblem against a brown backdrop, its elaborate details suggesting historical depth and legitimacy. The central panel offers a portrait of Charles Parnell himself, framed against a muted blue, lending a sense of individual identity and political presence. To the right, we see the "Flag of Ireland," accompanied by a shamrock. The formal arrangement of the artwork is thus not merely decorative; it's a strategic deployment of visual codes, inviting us to consider how identity is constructed and communicated through symbolic forms. The calculated arrangement suggests a landscape where each element—the heraldic symbol, the individual portrait, and the national emblem—functions as a signifier in a broader discourse of nationhood.