Scotch, Fisher Girl, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros. 1890

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company created this lithograph, "Scotch, Fisher Girl", as part of their "Types of Nationalities" series. During the late 19th century, the rise of industrial capitalism and the expansion of the British Empire led to a fascination with categorizing people by nationality, often reinforcing stereotypes. This card participated in the commodification and consumption of identity. The depiction of the "Scotch Fisher Girl" is a romanticized and exoticized portrayal. The card presents a seemingly innocent image, yet it perpetuates a colonial gaze that flattens cultural identity into a consumable image. By circulating these images on tobacco cards, Kinney Brothers normalized a vision of the world that reflected and supported the racial and cultural hierarchies of the time. It invites us to reflect on how these images contributed to the construction of identity and the perpetuation of stereotypes.