Minnie Conway as "Pocahontas," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes 1889

Editor: Here we have "Minnie Conway as 'Pocahontas'," a print from 1889 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. I'm immediately struck by the rather simplistic and perhaps romanticized depiction. What layers of meaning or symbolism do you find embedded in this image, beyond the surface-level portrait? Curator: The layers are numerous and tangled, aren't they? Consider the performance of identity here. Minnie Conway isn't Pocahontas, but *as* Pocahontas. The very act of dressing up is laden with cultural baggage, particularly when it involves borrowing from another culture. What does it mean to represent a historical figure in this way, especially through the lens of a cigarette card? Editor: I see what you mean. So it's not just a portrait, it's a portrayal that carries a whole history of cultural appropriation and romanticization. The feathers, the shawl – are these meant to evoke authenticity or something else? Curator: The feathers and shawl are symbols, yes, but symbols filtered through a very specific, and arguably distorted, lens. These aren't just materials, they are visual shorthand for an entire culture, employed here for commercial purposes. The "Indian Princess" trope flattens a complex history and people into a consumable image. What emotional impact does this curated image evoke for you? Editor: It feels...unsettling. Knowing the historical context makes this portrait less about honoring Pocahontas and more about exploiting her image. I hadn’t thought about the impact of commodifying culture in that way. Curator: Exactly! It encourages us to question how historical narratives are shaped and perpetuated through visual media. How does the simple image act as both a carrier of memory and a manipulator of perception? Editor: This has made me reconsider the power and responsibility that comes with representing any culture or historical figure visually. Thanks for sharing your insight.