General Caceres, President of Peru, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-1) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. 1888

Editor: This is "General Caceres, President of Peru" from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series, printed in 1888 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. It looks like a little history lesson packaged as an advertisement, maybe for tobacco. I find the grouping of the portrait, flag, and coat of arms intriguing. What’s your read on this? Curator: Oh, this little gem! It's like a time capsule compressed into card form. You see, these were indeed often slipped into cigarette packs, imagine collecting political figures alongside your smokes! Beyond that function, for me, there is an intention here that runs deep. Look how Caceres stares out, so serious and imposing and note how everything around him—the vibrant flag, the heraldic symbols – scream "nation." I wonder what that little llama would say about it, though? Does this strike you as more about real history, or constructing a powerful national narrative? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it like that. The llama… Maybe it is included as a reminder of Peruvian heritage? Is it a reference to some popular nationalistic sentiment, obscured from our present? Curator: Precisely! This could be how they were trying to communicate their “honest long cut.” This llama could very well serve as an animal figurehead, anchoring Caceres’s image to his homeland. Maybe to tell citizens to “stay grounded”? Maybe to try to convince folks to stay? These cards offered consumers something shiny *and* something seemingly substantial – a snippet of the world carefully curated for mass consumption. Did you find that idea to be present right away, when you saw the art work? Editor: That makes a lot of sense. It's wild how much context can be packed into such a small space. It's certainly made me look at these types of advertisement cards in a new light. Curator: Indeed, and next time you spot a historical portrait, ask yourself: What story is it *really* trying to sell me? There is nothing more that art does than offer you the artist’s impression; whether right, wrong, or indifferent.