Plate 13, from the Fans of the Period series (N7) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

Curator: Let’s have a look at "Plate 13, from the Fans of the Period series" created around 1889 by Allen & Ginter, currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s a printed card featuring a portrait of a woman, likely intended to be slipped into packs of cigarettes. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: My first impression is one of lightheartedness mixed with a touch of irony. There's an undeniable sweetness to the rosy hues and the delicate details like the ribbons and flowers, but knowing it was made to promote cigarettes casts a slightly dubious shadow. It's as if beauty is being used to mask a darker habit. Curator: Exactly! These cards were designed as marketing tools but evolved into miniature artworks that reveal a lot about the period. The fan she holds, for example, what might that represent to you? Editor: Well, a fan has layers. It’s an accessory of elegance, but also a subtle instrument of communication in a world of restrained social norms. It could signify coquettishness or simply modesty, depending on how it's held. Plus, there is the hidden language: specific gestures held hidden messages about your status, relationship intentions, and mood. I'm amused how a common tool may become filled with hidden meaning for its time! Curator: And, more simply, fans offered respite from heat. The choice to include one points to how everyday objects accrued symbolism over time. The imagery in advertising often became embedded into cultural understanding, didn’t it? Editor: Oh, absolutely. Looking at her sunny disposition, there is an artificial feel, a forced gaiety… but that might just be my modern cynicism creeping in. Still, that contrast fascinates me—the beautiful and artful crafted to serve commerce. This sort of tension is common for this kind of print production. Curator: These little cards were ephemeral objects elevated to art status and distributed across socioeconomic strata—amazing to consider how images like this spread in the 19th century. What an intriguing peek into the visual culture of the time. Editor: Indeed. A beautiful artifact carrying multiple layers of meaning. Next time I hold a fan, I will be sure to hold a silent intention... ;)