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

Curator: Before us is "Baltimore, from the City Flags series," an 1887 print made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. It's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: My first impression is one of layered symbolism. It is fascinating to me how miniature the depiction of this busy city appears, almost as if sealed under glass. Curator: Let's consider the structural elements. Notice the division, both horizontally and conceptually, of the composition. We have the monument in the upper register, encapsulated in what appears to be a flag device, and below it the port represented with impressionistic verve. It’s bisected and balanced simultaneously. Editor: And the flag as signifier—especially in conjunction with a mass-produced collectible cigarette card. I’m intrigued by what this all suggests about identity and the means of promoting it, how materials connect city identity and material culture for marketing luxury consumer goods. Consider also the exploitation involved in the mass production of cigarettes at this time. Curator: Certainly, one can see the intersection of commerce and civic pride, an encapsulation of late 19th-century American aspirations through accessible art objects, however, consider the stylistic choices: The delicate renderings are formally exquisite. It's the perfect distillation of the "picturesque" within a rigorously controlled format. Editor: Distillation indeed—consider this image in relation to Baltimore's economy at the time. Was Allen & Ginter sensitive to this city's character or were these prints simply capitalist grabs, romanticising locations regardless of labour conditions at the port? Curator: A fascinating counterpoint. The materiality and miniature format encourage us to look closely. To isolate moments and ideas like commodities, in a constant search for narrative construction that could reveal many layers within these small cards. Editor: Perhaps it's a testament to the complex stories held in simple manufactured items, which encourages further investigations into context and materiality. Curator: It offers such elegant tensions; both commercially exploitative yet refined through deliberate formalism, still allowing an investigation of societal dynamics. Editor: It all highlights how historical marketing and distribution of commodities intersect with social commentary on the city and our perception. A true nexus.