George Washington, from the Great Generals series (N15) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Editor: So, this is "George Washington, from the Great Generals series," created in 1888 by Allen & Ginter, and it's a lithograph print. Honestly, it feels almost comical! Washington looks…well, rosy. What's your take on this, what stands out to you? Curator: Ah, yes! A rosy-cheeked George selling cigarettes. Isn’t that delightfully absurd? It’s easy to dismiss it, but this tiny card, churned out for the masses, speaks volumes about hero worship and the birth of American advertising. Tell me, does the fact that this iconic figure is used to sell a relatively new, somewhat controversial, product change how you perceive the "great general?" Editor: Definitely! It kind of cheapens the image, doesn't it? Like slapping Washington’s face on a cereal box today. So much for gravitas. Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it democratizes him, brings him down from the marble pedestal and into the everyday. Consider the lithograph. Before, portraits were the domain of the wealthy. This print makes George accessible. Plus, those bright colors, bordering on caricature, make him memorable. Isn't memory the point of these keepsake cards? Editor: That's a good point, access and memory. It’s definitely stuck in my head now. So, what do you think it meant for the public back then? Curator: Well, smoking was new, exciting, slightly rebellious, and so, in theory, was America. Think of this image as part of a much bigger national branding exercise – crafting and selling an American identity. Maybe they succeeded a bit too well! Editor: I never thought about it that way. Now I see it's not just a funny little portrait, it’s also a clever advertisement. Thanks! Curator: Exactly! And hopefully it reminds us that history, even on a cigarette card, is never really black and white. Or maybe in this case, just a little rosy!