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

This small chromolithograph of Romania was produced for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, likely sometime in the late 19th century. It's one of many in a series depicting flags of different nations, meant to be collected and traded. Chromolithography was a groundbreaking printing technique that allowed for mass production of colorful images. Think about the amount of labor involved: the design had to be carefully separated into different color layers, each requiring a separate lithographic stone or plate. Then, each layer was printed in succession to build up the final image. The availability of these cards reflects rising consumer culture and global trade. These cards were inexpensive promotional items designed to entice people to purchase cigarettes. They also speak to the era's fascination with exoticism and foreign lands, even as their commercial nature blurs the line between cultural exchange and capitalist exploitation. These images were the product of skilled labor, ingenuity, and global networks of production and consumption. They remind us that even seemingly simple objects can tell complex stories about art, industry, and society.