A Life of John Jacob Astor, from the Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People series of booklets (N79) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

Curator: Here we have "A Life of John Jacob Astor," one of a series of collectible cards produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1888. These cards came with Duke brand cigarettes, part of a series called "Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People." Editor: It's charmingly unassuming, isn’t it? There's a straightforward quality to the rendering. I feel as if it were found tucked inside an old book... Curator: These were mass-produced through colored pencils and print. The cards served less as high art and more as marketing tools. But they’re a fascinating window into the values that were celebrated at the time, and how they intersected with consumer culture. Editor: Right, that’s the charm. It’s advertising aspiring to art, and yet somehow completely revealing of its era. The soft pastels give Astor a kindly, almost paternal feel... though I suspect his business practices were likely a bit more cutthroat. Curator: Precisely. It's interesting to consider the labor involved. Factory workers assembling cigarettes, inserting these cards. Consider the distribution network required to spread these images and their aspirational narratives nationwide. Editor: The portrait itself seems lifted from a more formal painting, perhaps even a steel engraving, then softened and domesticated for this purpose. And the vaguely ukiyo-e swirl behind him almost promises transformation from ‘poor boy’ to…well, tobacco magnate bait? Curator: It reveals how art and consumerism can blur into one another, shaping perceptions and driving economic engines. Editor: Exactly. And despite the card's humble origins, it leaves me thinking about the grand narratives woven around individual success—especially who gets remembered, and by what means! Curator: It's more than meets the eye. A reminder of art's capacity to intertwine with everyday life and culture. Editor: Indeed, making us look closer at the labor of those who made the products, and the cultural conditions of our own.