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

This is a chromolithograph from the "Natives in Costume" series, created by Allen & Ginter, manufacturers of cigarette cards. The image presents a figure identified as a Circassian against a stylized landscape, characterized by flat planes of color and simplified forms. The composition divides the scene into distinct horizontal bands, from the neutral foreground to the brown backdrop. The figure, dressed in a red tunic with intricate patterns, dominates the frame. Note how the artist employs color to define depth. The yellow shawl draped over the figure provides a striking contrast to the red tunic and the earth-toned background, drawing our eye centrally. Structurally, the piece adopts a somewhat flattened perspective, common in commercial illustrations of the time. This flattening serves not just as a visual choice, but as a semiotic tool, challenging the traditional academic depth, and engaging with new ways of perceiving space and representation. The image's formal qualities underscore its purpose: to package exoticism for consumption.