Utah, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Editor: This little print, “Utah, from Flags of the States and Territories” made in 1888 by Allen & Ginter, features watercolor, drawing, and colored pencil elements. It’s so small, almost like a postage stamp! The flag takes center stage, but there's a landscape nestled beneath. What do you notice about how the artist chose to represent Utah? Curator: Indeed, the scale is crucial here. Note how the composition adheres to distinct zones: the heraldic flag occupies the upper register, sharply demarcated from the scenic view below. The interplay between the stylized flag and the miniature landscape creates a formal tension. Do you observe how the chromatic range contributes to this tension? Editor: Well, the bright blue of the flag definitely pops against the softer, earthier tones of the landscape. Is it supposed to make the flag more important? Curator: Precisely. The flag’s bold color saturation asserts its dominance. Observe also the contrasting textures: the flag's flat, decorative surface versus the landscape's attempt at perspectival depth through the suggestion of recession. The artist isn’t really trying to create believable space, but instead uses it as a compositional tool. Editor: I see what you mean! So, it’s less about accurately depicting Utah and more about arranging shapes, colors, and textures in a deliberate way. I hadn’t thought about it that way before. Curator: Exactly. Analyzing the formal structure reveals how meaning is constructed through purely visual means, without primary regard to cultural or historical interpretations. The work becomes a self-contained system of signs. Editor: That's fascinating. I'm definitely going to look at these cigarette cards differently now! Thanks for pointing out the subtleties of their construction.