Mulberry, from the Fruits series (N12) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1891

Curator: Ah, this is "Mulberry," from the "Fruits" series by Allen & Ginter, printed in 1891. It’s one of the cigarette cards they produced, and what always gets me is the sheer range of subjects they explored. Editor: It has a whimsical charm, doesn’t it? It makes me think of sun-dappled afternoons. And, oh my, the way her smile nearly hides the eyes, just a tiny squint, precious. Curator: Exactly! Allen & Ginter weren't just selling tobacco; they were selling dreams, weren’t they? Small collectible cards offered with their products gave people access to miniature worlds of art, portraits of actresses, even images of faraway places, right there in their pockets. These were, I suppose, early forms of advertisement and, you might say, cultural ambassadors. Editor: But also...consider this...they’re tiny things… Like stolen glimpses into an idealized, if highly selective, version of turn-of-the-century society, if that makes any sense. It also reminds me how childhood was depicted... always sweetened... Curator: Sweetened, absolutely! The idealized view—very astute of you! It represents both innocence and also perhaps an appetite for pleasure, the same impulse they hoped would draw consumers to their tobacco. Look at the way they used colored pencils to give texture to her clothing, and, of course, the berries in her basket, the little touches! Editor: I feel a certain tug at the heart when I see the small awkwardness of a child, but there is an adult knowing that’s in her smile... The whole illustration teeters at the edge of a beautiful fairytale… though, perhaps a cautionary one? Curator: Yes, that interplay between charm and underlying message... the commodification of something precious… certainly offers some intriguing contradictions that are both products of the time and tellingly persistent. Editor: I agree, it really lingers. It makes you ponder just what kind of stories a small image can whisper, century after century.