Ice Carnival, Canada, from the Holidays series (N80) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

Curator: What a vibrant piece! I’m immediately struck by its lively texture and almost dreamlike, nostalgic quality. Editor: Absolutely. This is "Ice Carnival, Canada," part of the Holidays series (N80) made around 1890 for Duke brand cigarettes. It’s a colored pencil and watercolor print that presents a romanticized vision. Curator: The gaze of the subject pulls me in; it's quite captivating. How do you perceive the structural organization in this work? The colors also give the image life. Editor: Note how the artist employs contrasting cool blues and grays for the background against the warmth of the foreground figure’s skin and clothing, setting up a dialogue between background and the persona who seems to be in the front and has been paid close attention to detail, therefore we may deduce is the center of interest of the piece. It adds significant value to the overall impact. It presents a powerful juxtaposition. Curator: And what about the historical positioning of this particular advertisement piece? What does it say about gender roles and social dynamics during that era, especially given that it was created for a cigarette brand? Editor: That’s important to address. Advertising like this, aimed at a specific demographic of male smokers, used idealized feminine imagery. This particular piece subtly reinforces patriarchal societal values in that era. Her gaze meets the audiences, inviting consumption of tobacco products while simultaneously marketing a certain perception of beauty. Curator: The scale allows for mass consumption. How fascinating, both from a structuralist, purely artistic perspective, and as a snapshot of our cultural past! Editor: The tension between form and historical context is always so rewarding to untangle. Curator: Indeed! These brief moments give much food for thought about gender norms that used to permeate the commercial field. Editor: An image designed to sell cigarettes now providing us a window into broader cultural values... quite remarkable, don't you think?