Georges Ernest Jean-Marie Boulanger, from the Great Generals series (N15) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This portrait of Georges Ernest Jean-Marie Boulanger is from the Great Generals series, part of a set of cigarette cards produced by Allen & Ginter. The composition is neatly divided into distinct zones: Boulanger, the bust on the left, and the French flag on the right. A harmonious palette of blues, reds, and golds works to construct a semiotic language of power, where the General, in full uniform, embodies nationalistic fervour. The bust crowned with laurel evokes classical ideals, while the flag represents France. The uniform is rendered with sharp precision, reflecting a modern tension between mass production and individual identity. The artwork destabilizes traditional portraiture, typical of painting, by reframing the artwork through the lens of commercial culture. The flatness of the image, and lack of depth, serve to flatten the hierarchy of the subject matter. As viewers, we're invited to explore the artwork as a set of visual signs, and a window into the cultural codes that shaped its making and reception.