Number 8, Caught on the Fly, from the Tricks with Cards series (N138) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1887

Editor: Here we have “Number 8, Caught on the Fly,” a print from 1887 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., crafted using etching and engraving. It's part of the 'Tricks with Cards' series. I’m struck by how flat everything appears, and the limited color palette almost gives it a poster-like feel. What formal elements jump out to you? Curator: Consider the division of space. The foreground presents the magician, sharply defined and seemingly caught mid-gesture, set against a textured background of vibrant cards. Notice how the dynamic diagonals of the falling cards create an almost chaotic energy, effectively juxtaposed with the magician’s stillness. What does that tell you? Editor: It feels staged, almost like a theatre set with different planes vying for my attention. The figure with the wand feels static, which contradicts the card’s movement and “Caught on the Fly” title. And what’s going on with those little devils in the corner? Curator: Their presence indeed introduces a layer of complexity. They are rendered as simplified, almost cartoonish forms. Examine the tension created by this juxtaposition: the flat plane of their graphic style against the slight dimensionality suggested in the rendering of the magician and cards. This interplay between styles adds to the overall visual intrigue. How do you interpret that tension now? Editor: The difference in stylistic representation seems to almost separate two different spaces on the same visual plane, a real plane of conjuring tricks adjacent to something infernal! I see now how the visual composition gives even more presence to the performer, heightening the sense of theatre. Curator: Precisely. By analyzing these intrinsic elements – space, tension, and contrasting styles – we uncover how meaning and aesthetic appeal were intentionally constructed within the piece. A deceptively simple print offers so much formal sophistication.