Slanting Ladder, from the Gymnastic Exercises series (N77) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

Editor: Here we have “Slanting Ladder” from the Gymnastic Exercises series, a print with colored pencil made in 1887 for Duke brand cigarettes. The woman is wearing a sort of patterned bodysuit and ornate stockings while suspended from the ladder. It feels so strange to see this associated with a cigarette brand. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the conditions of production for this ephemeral commercial print. Think about the laborers involved – from the draftsmen and colorists creating the image, to the printing press operators churning out thousands of these cards, and finally, the tobacco workers packaging them with the cigarettes. The card becomes part of the consumption process itself. Editor: I hadn't thought about the labor involved at that level. Curator: Exactly! And beyond that, what are we to make of the image itself? A woman in what we might call an exercise costume – made via a process that involves exploited labor practices – functions as an advertisement, designed to create a desire for… cigarettes? It brings to light so many complex levels of production, consumption, and power structures. Editor: It’s almost unsettling to realize the levels of labor just to create an advertisement. The company's description – "The Largest Cigarette Manufacturers in the World" – only furthers the point you’re making. Curator: Precisely. This little card is a lens through which we can examine late 19th-century capitalism, from manufacturing processes to gendered marketing strategies. It pushes us to question the relationship between art, labor, and consumer culture. Editor: I will definitely look at advertising art differently from now on, considering what materials were involved and the social factors that helped in its creation. Curator: Absolutely, that’s how we reveal hidden meanings and relationships!