Lotus, from the Fruits series (N12) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1891

This chromolithograph of a woman in vaguely 'eastern' garb playing a lute, entitled Lotus, was made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes in the United States. The image participates in a long history of orientalist fantasy. We see this in the costume, which has only a passing acquaintance with any specific Middle-Eastern culture. The lotus flower itself is of course associated with the East, where it is a powerful symbol of purity, love, and rebirth. In the West, however, the lotus has often been deployed as an exotic and erotic symbol, especially in the decorative arts. The purpose of this image was not to educate, but to seduce the consumer into an aspirational fantasy of global reach and luxury, using cheap images that circulated widely. Understanding the social and institutional context of such images is key to understanding their appeal and power, for which resources such as advertising ephemera, company records, and period publications are invaluable.