Losing Time, from the Jokes series (N87) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have "Losing Time" by W. Duke, Sons & Co., dating back to 1890. It's a small print, originally part of a cigarette card series, and features a caricature of a child playing a trick on a sophisticated gentleman. What stands out is the almost absurd contrast in their appearances and the somewhat mischievous tone. How do we unpack something like this? Curator: Well, it's interesting to consider the social context of these cigarette cards. They weren't high art, but they were mass-produced images meant to appeal to a broad public. They offer insights into late 19th-century social attitudes and values. This specific image seems to play on the trope of the innocent child disrupting the composure of the upper class, almost mocking his formal demeanor with the ‘trick’. How does the mass distribution factor influence your interpretation? Editor: It highlights that such critiques were easily accessible to many, beyond the elite art world. Almost like subtle, visual commentary inserted into daily life, quite clever for advertising, making light of social structures and classes. Curator: Exactly! The popularity of these cards also indicates the rise of a consumer culture and the clever ways businesses used images to cultivate brand loyalty. Does knowing it’s connected to selling cigarettes impact how you view the 'joke' portrayed? Editor: It adds another layer of cynicism. While seemingly harmless, it pushes products tied to addictive behavior through seemingly 'relatable' imagery. It transforms simple street life into commercial opportunities. Curator: A critical perspective, but well placed given its initial intent. Understanding the historical context reveals a complexity beneath the surface. Editor: Absolutely, I've shifted from seeing simple caricature to identifying this card’s more subtle power dynamics as a piece of marketing rooted within consumer culture.