Hindoo, High Caste Woman, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros. 1890

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company created this chromolithograph card, part of the “Types of Nationalities” series. The composition is divided horizontally with text above and below the woman's image, setting up a visual hierarchy. The woman is centrally positioned, her gaze directed at the viewer, creating an immediate connection. The color palette is constrained but strategic, using contrasting red and blue hues in her attire that draw the eye, set against a muted background. The gold ornamentation and jewelry suggest opulence and status, emphasizing her high caste. The use of line and texture in the print is precise, delineating the details of her clothing and features. This image operates within a complex semiotic system, where the exoticized representation of the 'other' served to reinforce the dominant cultural narratives of the time. The card functions as a sign, where the signifier – the image – represents the signified – a concept of race, class and nationality. It's a cultural artifact that prompts us to reflect on how images create and perpetuate meaning.