Muscatine Guards, Iowa, Militia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "Muscatine Guards, Iowa, Militia" from 1888, made by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It’s a print, and I find the color palette striking – especially how the bright blue pants contrast with the dark coat. What catches your eye? Curator: Indeed, the chromatic arrangement is noteworthy. Consider the relationship between the primary colours employed: the assertive blues and reds which create a visually stimulating, though perhaps not harmonious, tension. This chromatic contrast emphasizes the flat picture plane. How does the artist utilize line and form? Editor: The figure is very rigid, almost cartoonish. I mean, the way he’s holding that stick, it doesn’t look very natural. Curator: Precisely. Observe the simplification of form. The artist reduces the figure to its essential geometric components. The lines are crisp and definitive, delineating shapes and creating a sense of order, despite the underlying dynamism inherent in the chromatic tension. Does this geometric order impact the legibility of the print? Editor: I think so! Even without knowing the title, you get the sense it’s supposed to be a military figure because of the uniform and the stiffness of the pose. Curator: Yes, and it serves to underscore the graphic quality of the print itself. Consider, also, the overall composition – the figure is centrally located and framed by blank space, allowing the details of his uniform to take center stage. What is the significance of this figure? Editor: It makes you think about what they were trying to communicate in advertising… Curator: A fitting analysis. Focusing on its intrinsic visual properties opens up different interpretive pathways. I have thoroughly enjoyed this exploration!