Morocco, from the Natives in Costume series (N16), Teofani Issue, for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886 - 1900

Allen & Ginter's chromolithograph "Morocco, from the Natives in Costume series" was produced as a cigarette card. It was a time when the west gazed at the world with both curiosity and a sense of colonial entitlement. The card depicts a Moroccan man in traditional attire, complete with a turban, tunic, and what appears to be a weapon. These cards were a product of their time, reflecting orientalist perspectives that exoticized and, in many ways, flattened the diverse cultures they represented. The image reduces a rich, complex culture into a single, consumable image, devoid of true context or depth. The commercial function of this artwork cannot be ignored. Produced to sell cigarettes, it commodifies both the image of the Moroccan man and, by extension, Moroccan identity. What does it mean to trade on these images, to profit from them, especially when the subjects have no say in their representation? This card invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in representation and the legacies of colonialism that continue to shape our perceptions today.