Red Shirt, Dakota Sioux, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Editor: So, here we have "Red Shirt, Dakota Sioux," a drawing, or perhaps a coloured-pencil print from 1888, made by Allen & Ginter. There's something melancholic, almost… resigned in his expression. I'm curious, what catches your eye about this piece? Curator: Melancholic, yes, perhaps even a touch weary. It whispers tales of displacement and cultural collision, doesn’t it? What really strikes me is the way the artist, presumably working within the constraints of a commercial project - a cigarette card, no less! - attempts to convey a sense of dignity, or perhaps tries to flatten the identity, hard to say… Do you notice how the background fades into almost nothing, throwing all the focus onto Red Shirt himself? Editor: I do, it's almost isolating. So, do you think this card is exploitative or respectful? Or, is it somewhere in-between? Curator: Ah, there’s the rub, isn’t it? It's both, perhaps unknowingly so. On one hand, it’s a romanticized image, commodifying indigenous culture for profit, while it may give this historical figure greater recognition at a time when visibility was limited for Native people. But that gaze... it holds a quiet power, a challenge even. It suggests a life, a history, far beyond what this little card can contain. The name, almost emblazoned at the bottom, perhaps a shout to remember? What do you think the artist saw when creating it? Editor: I guess I never thought about what the artist thought about while creating it! Food for thought... Curator: Indeed, the power of a name is certainly poignant here, I have been forever changed as well! Thanks for the insight.