Indian Chief, from "Governors, Arms, Etc." series (N133-2), issued by Duke Sons & Co. 1885 - 1892

This small lithograph trading card, part of the "Governors, Arms, Etc." series by Duke Sons & Co., presents a tripartite structure. The central panel focuses on the portrait of an "Indian Chief," flanked by depictions of "Indian Territory" and an "Indian Camp." The composition, segmented into distinct pictorial fields, employs contrasting visual languages. On the left, heraldic emblems and a coat of arms evoke European traditions of power, while the central portrait attempts to capture the likeness of an Indigenous leader. This is juxtaposed with the scene on the right. The contrast of color and style reveals a tension between representation and commodification. The card, beyond its ostensible subject matter, functions as a complex sign. By juxtaposing images of Indigenous peoples with commercial text, it embodies the intertwined histories of colonialism, capitalism, and representation. It invites us to question how images are used to construct and perpetuate cultural narratives.