Here, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the absolute artifice of it all—the rigid pose, the way she grips the cane, that almost aggressive stylishness! It’s all a bit...off. Editor: This piece, "Here, from the Parasol Drills series (N18)" by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands, created around 1888, offers an interesting window into late 19th-century commercial art. The artwork employs colored pencils and print, reflecting the japonisme aesthetic then in vogue. You see this piece on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: Japonisme, yes! That’s why the palette feels so familiar, like a pastel echo of a Hokusai print. It’s trying very hard, isn't it? Is she trying to be fashionable, or sell something? Editor: Both, most definitely! These cards were inserts in cigarette packs—marketing playing cards essentially. So the overt elegance and “fashionable lady” were clearly designed to sell aspirations of wealth and sophistication along with their product. And consider the title "Here", possibly intended to highlight that even through small collectibles and promotional tools, wealth is present for a small token! Curator: It feels deeply ironic to see so much 'poshness' wrapped around something as blatantly unhealthy as cigarettes. It's such a clash, it is weirdly compelling. It feels both luxurious and… somehow, cheap. Editor: I'd say the print is quite a savvy marketing strategy. This particular piece demonstrates how commercial interests adopted aesthetic trends to shape societal desires. Also note the brand subtly present on the very bottom! Curator: So, ultimately, more advertisement than Art with a capital ‘A’? Does that lessen its cultural relevance or amplify it because we see art embedded with socio-political intention? Editor: I'd argue the latter! The intention does nothing to diminish it; it shows exactly how commercial enterprises began crafting social narratives. In short, this little cigarette card is worth a fortune of insights. Curator: Alright, color me educated on commercial techniques. She will always be, for me, more style over substance, I can see, though, that's very much the point. Editor: Quite so. Next time, let us reflect over how that style impacted a generation of advertising designs!