Irish, from World's Dudes series (N31) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "Irish, from World's Dudes series (N31) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes," dating back to 1888. It seems to be a drawing or print, and the materials listed include colored pencil and etching. It's a somewhat strange little piece. What strikes you about it? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the context of its creation: as a cigarette card. Think of the labor involved. The etching process, the colored pencil application, then mass production for commercial purposes. It collapses the high/low art divide by being both an "original" artwork and a commodity object circulating within a consumerist society. Editor: So, you're saying its value isn’t just aesthetic, but resides in the process and how it was used? Curator: Precisely! The image itself exoticizes an Irish archetype for the consumption of American cigarette smokers. Notice the title: “Irish.” Not a person, but a type. What materials contributed to constructing and perpetuating this idea? The paper, the ink, the printing press… these all played a role. Editor: It makes you wonder about the unseen workers involved in production, and how their labor relates to this idealized image of Irish identity. Curator: Absolutely. It’s crucial to examine art not just as a visual object, but as a product of material processes and social forces. How were the raw materials sourced, processed, and assembled? The ‘World’s Dudes’ title also begs exploration: Who is considered worthy of representation and how does it reflect on power dynamics related to labor? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about, moving beyond just the surface level of the artwork to understand its production and consumption. Curator: Yes, seeing art as connected to broader systems of labor and capital changes our understanding.