Peru, from Flags of All Nations, Series 1 (N9) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This small card, "Peru, from Flags of All Nations," was manufactured for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. Though modest in scale, the lithographic printing process used to produce this card speaks volumes about industry and commerce. The image is all about replication. With the advent of industrialization, color printing became increasingly widespread. This card would have been produced in enormous quantities. These were collected by consumers, trading cards of all sorts. But, more importantly, it helped to create and reinforce a culture of both production and consumption. The image of the Peruvian flag here is not just a symbol of national identity, but also a token within a wider system of capitalist exchange. It challenges traditional notions of art by blurring the lines between commercial production, consumer culture, and national symbolism.