Man and Chief, Pawnee, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small card depicting a Pawnee chief comes from a series made for Allen & Ginter cigarette brands. Printed on thin card stock, its creation involved industrial processes, far removed from the artistry it depicts. Consider the contrast: here’s a representation of Native American culture, meticulously rendered, yet mass-produced as a commercial trinket. The chromolithographic technique allowed for a semblance of detail – look at the feathers, the shading on the chief’s face – yet the image is inherently flattened, simplified for reproduction. The card’s purpose was to sell cigarettes, embedding it in a network of consumption and trade that stands in stark opposition to the depicted chief’s way of life. It is a reminder of how images can be divorced from their original context, commodified, and circulated within a system that perpetuates cultural appropriation. So next time you see a small printed artifact like this, think about the labor, the materials, and the complex social forces that brought it into being.