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

This is Cuba, from Flags of All Nations, a lithograph produced by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs, part of a marketing strategy which also functioned as a form of popular education about the world. At first glance, it might seem like a harmless celebration of national identity, however, it speaks volumes about the complex relationships between commerce, nationalism, and colonialism in the late 19th century. The placement of the Cuban flag above a romanticized vision of Havana, rendered in miniature, suggests an exoticized, almost possessive gaze. It reflects the United States' growing interest in Cuban affairs, which would soon lead to the Spanish-American War and U.S. occupation of Cuba. The card blurs the lines between consumerism, patriotism, and imperial ambition. What does it mean to consume an image of a nation alongside a product like cigarettes? Perhaps this card reminds us that even seemingly innocuous images can be entangled with histories of power, desire, and exploitation.