A Short History of General N. B. Forrest, from the Histories of Generals series (N114) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco 1888

This promotional card titled ‘A Short History of General N. B. Forrest’ was produced around 1870-1920 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. for their tobacco products. The card is divided into distinct pictorial sections: a portrait of General Forrest, naturalistic patterns and scenes of conflict. The card's formal structure is a juxtaposition of portraiture with landscape and decorative elements. The portrait anchors the piece, presenting a human face amidst symbols of nature, war and idealized design. The patterning introduces visual complexity, complicating any straightforward reading of the depicted historical figure. The organization of the card creates a semiotic play between image and context. By placing the general within this matrix of symbols, the card’s designers engage in a form of visual rhetoric. These images don't merely represent; they construct a narrative around Forrest, inviting viewers to contemplate the relationship between the man, his history, and the broader cultural values of the time. The formal arrangement thus becomes a critical site for understanding how meaning is produced and negotiated.