Milan I, King of Servia, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-1) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. 1888

Editor: So, this chromolithograph is from a series of tobacco cards made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1888. It features Milan I, King of Servia, and it strikes me as interesting how much information is packed into one small image: his portrait, the Servian flag and coat of arms... What catches your eye in this piece? Curator: The immediate visual echoes jump out. Note the repetition of the Serbian tricolor – red, blue, and white – in the flag, but also subtly in Milan's attire and even a smaller figure below. How might this repetition reinforce national identity, even subconsciously? Editor: So, by using the colors throughout, it ties everything together visually to Serbia itself? Curator: Precisely! And observe the strategic juxtaposition of the Serbian coat of arms, incorporating the cross and stylized firesteels, symbols deeply rooted in Serbian Orthodox Christianity and national resilience. The white eagles? How are those culturally relevant, perhaps? Editor: I would guess they stand for power. Eagle imagery is prevalent in Roman times as well, right? Curator: Good connection! Eagles were connected with empires throughout the Europe. Consider, too, the purpose of this image – a tobacco card. The everyday accessibility and distribution served to ingrain these visual cues and solidify national pride at the moment when tobacco consumption was fashionable among citizens of every social level. It acts as both advertisement and subtle cultural reminder. Editor: That makes total sense, how it worked as propaganda. Now I notice even how the portrait's colors work with the flag colors, using everything to reassert Serbian identity. Curator: Yes. We can begin to discern the deeper cultural currents operating beneath a seemingly simple image. We started looking at this image thinking that the only goal here was to advertise cigarettes but looking deeply has helped uncover cultural meaning.