Cigar Store Indian 1935 - 1942

Curator: We’re looking at “Cigar Store Indian,” a watercolor drawing by Einar Heiberg, created sometime between 1935 and 1942. Editor: My immediate reaction is one of subdued anticipation. The figure's pose—hand shielding his eyes, gaze fixed on the horizon—suggests a vigil, a waiting for something or someone. Curator: It's intriguing how Heiberg captures the visual language of indigenous representation. Note the textures created through the watercolor; consider how each colour and its variation contributes to the artwork's composition, especially around the cape. Editor: Absolutely, and this work exists at the crossroads of symbol and cultural object. The Cigar Store Indian—an emblem of both commercial appropriation and, arguably, cultural survival. We could deconstruct what it stood for at the time, the promise of trade, and juxtapose that with how it's regarded today, the perpetuation of stereotype. Curator: A nuanced perspective, precisely what this artwork warrants. We cannot ignore the geometric solidity given to the rocks compared to the flowing capes and palm headwear. It gives structure, yet suggests fragility too. The muted tones also add to the tension. Editor: And the object itself carries this weight! The carved figure used to stand outside businesses, an advertisement that used the imagery of the “noble savage” to sell tobacco, the irony dripping with every transaction. One wonders if Heiberg intended to comment on it? Curator: Quite possibly. The artwork seems self-aware. Editor: A point well made, especially because we can study it purely as an assemblage of colour, line, and shape. Still, one cannot extract cultural baggage. A very evocative piece. Curator: Indeed. It's a skillful balance of aesthetic formalism with layers of societal implications.