Fife, from the Musical Instruments series (N82) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "Fife, from the Musical Instruments series (N82) for Duke brand cigarettes," created around 1888. It’s a print by W. Duke, Sons & Co., and it looks like a trade card. What strikes me is the unusual combination of the woman’s seemingly Ottoman-inspired dress paired with what appears to be a US military belt. What’s your interpretation of this piece? Curator: Well, this image certainly throws a lot at us. The exotification of the "Orient" was a common practice in Western visual culture, especially during periods of colonial expansion. This card uses an orientalist aesthetic, but the woman's belt disrupts that single narrative. What's that doing there? Editor: That’s what I’m wondering! It seems contradictory. Curator: Exactly. So, perhaps the U.S. military belt represents an appropriation of power, a visual symbol of dominance subtly layered within an exoticized representation of a woman. This advertisement promotes Duke cigarettes, a brand deeply intertwined with tobacco and colonialism, thus the military association points to military campaigns for resources and markets abroad. How does that affect how you read the image as a whole? Editor: It definitely shifts my understanding. I initially saw it as simply decorative, but the layers of appropriation are hard to ignore once pointed out. It makes you question what else might be lurking beneath the surface. Curator: Absolutely. And how advertising imagery plays into the creation and distribution of stereotypes related to cultural hegemony. There’s a complex interplay between the aesthetic appeal, the product being sold, and the sociopolitical context. Editor: That's really eye-opening. It's amazing how much historical context informs what's really going on in this seemingly simple advertisement. Curator: Indeed! This image, like so much of art, offers insight into how power, representation, and commerce intersect. It serves as a reminder to critically engage with the messages embedded in our visual culture.