Steamship Bostonian, Leyland Line, from the Ocean and River Steamers series (N83) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

Curator: Here we have an advertising print for W. Duke, Sons & Co. from 1887, a color lithograph titled "Steamship Bostonian, Leyland Line," part of the "Ocean and River Steamers" series used to promote Duke brand cigarettes. Editor: My eye goes straight to the stern-looking lady. She looks like she just saw a ghost but is trying hard to pretend everything is fine while stuck at a painfully boring afternoon tea. Curator: Fascinating! That contrast is central, actually. Consider the context. Late 19th century, the rise of mass consumerism is deeply intertwined with visual culture, and images like these attach glamour and aspiration to everyday products. Notice the steamship is detailed, majestic. Editor: And imposing! Those masts practically stab the sky. There is this overall sense of like, industrial power meeting old-world elegance... like the stiff portrait of the woman clashes, in a wonderful way, with the churn of the sea, doesn't it? The red of her blush almost matches the red flag. It seems to promise an excitement that perhaps the stern woman would avoid in real life, yet enjoys as she daydreams about adventures on this amazing vessel. Curator: Precisely. And while this feels random, know that promotional items like these were enormously successful, they saturated society with potent imagery that helped form the aesthetics of a burgeoning middle class, which, naturally, defined sophistication and worldliness through products...in a very powerful feedback loop. Editor: So, what, a steamship is just a really big billboard for what's "in," with a bonus of sea air, I suppose! The artist used colored pencils in such an elegant, simple way. What strikes me about art like this is that its actual social impact, at the time, may be overlooked, despite its mass appeal. It speaks volumes about those old gilded times and what society valued, and that contrast, like a rough wave against a formal lady, fascinates me even more. Curator: Indeed, what we perceive as mere advertisement served as a vehicle to create a shared imaginary. I've really considered this in an unexpected light through your reflections, and for me, its relevance is further amplified. Editor: Well, I will raise my glass to that... maybe it's time for a voyage on this memory ship, just me, you, and our quiet friend staring off toward a new future for herself, on the stern of this Leyland Line steamship.