Golden Rod (Solidago Canadensis), from the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

Curator: This small but vivid piece, dating back to 1890, presents "Golden Rod (Solidago Canadensis)" as part of the Flowers series by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. It’s crafted with watercolor and print. I’m struck by the detail. Editor: My immediate impression is one of delicate nostalgia, even melancholy. The subdued palette, despite the plant's name, evokes a faded memory, a fleeting moment captured. It feels more like a pressed flower than a field in bloom. Curator: Precisely. The 'golden rod' is particularly potent here. This piece, produced during an era of rapid industrialization and profound social change, is heavy with associations—ideas of growth and labor and commodification of natural beauty. It existed within a visual culture of advertising increasingly focused on constructing desires linked to a burgeoning middle class and their desire to appear elite through items such as fancy cigarette cards. Editor: Yes, the symbolic language speaks volumes. Goldenrod has long held varied meanings, from healing and prosperity to, paradoxically, warnings. It's associated with late summer and approaching autumn, mirroring life's cyclical nature. The placement on a cigarette card is fascinating as we explore ideas about longevity, too. The artists were commenting in that irony whether they realised it or not. Curator: And considering the socio-economic implications of smoking in the late 19th century, particularly its impact on working-class communities and gender dynamics. Cigarettes represented a new kind of accessibility. The goldenrod as symbol is both a representation of the allure of nature and a marketing tool. It also shows the artist or artists’ skills and understanding. It offers a look into this complicated time through the most innocent of mediums; a flower on a tobacco card. Editor: Absolutely. The tension between nature and artifice, between life and consumption, becomes pronounced. And let’s think of how colour might also apply to this subject; the artist's medium reminds me that images live on over generations because we continually re-interpret them. Curator: A perspective that allows us to dissect both the beauty and complexities, of that time and this artwork! Thank you for joining me today in examining Goodwin & Company's creation, with the aim to broaden understandings about our own current environment. Editor: A perfect example of how the past informs our present understanding of material culture, and vice versa. Thanks for shining the light!