Black Bass, from the series Fishers and Fish (N74) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

Curator: This is a lithograph, color pencil and drawing called "Black Bass, from the series Fishers and Fish (N74) for Duke brand cigarettes." It's from 1888 and the artist is Knapp & Company. Editor: Wow, a fish hawking cigarettes. I love the utter weirdness of that. It feels… serene, though? Despite the fishing hook inches from its face. Curator: It’s funny, isn’t it? The fish is beautifully rendered. Sort of shimmering. You almost forget its an advertisement for a product known to bring death! Editor: Let's be honest: the whole angler/fish dynamic is ripe for a socio-political read. Think about it: here you have a predatory system disguised as sport, as industry… really, this little drawing becomes a window onto exploitation, and our complicated relationships to both consumerism and the natural world. Curator: Whoa. Heavy for a little fishy card, but I see your point. The innocence of the image almost obscures a more complex, problematic narrative. And that horizontal grain running through the background kind of boxes the fish in, doesn't it? Trapped. Editor: Exactly! The horizontal lines definitely cage it in. You also see those rocks on the bottom—the environment feels so flat. This feels reminiscent of wildlife and landscape exploitation that continues in contemporary times, perhaps that exploitation is exactly what we are being sold in this picture... literally! Curator: I see how those details contribute to the broader statement. Even the way the fish's eye is painted feels knowing, like it sees us all. Editor: Yes, complicit perhaps in this economic theater. From tobacco farms to this mass produced little advertisement—Knapp & Company captured the mood of exploitation perfectly, I think. It is also worth acknowledging the way tobacco consumption at this time and ever after has overwhelmingly effected people of color! Curator: All things considered, who knew a humble black bass could carry so much philosophical weight? It makes you question what hidden stories swim beneath the surface of everyday objects. Editor: Indeed. A simple image that serves as a mirror, reflecting our entangled existence and the persistent echoes of exploitation.