New Caledonia, from the Natives in Costume series (N16) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886

This lithograph was made by Allen & Ginter for their Cigarettes Brands, and it belongs to the Natives in Costume series. The chromolithography process allowed for mass production, turning cultural representation into a commodity. Look closely, and you'll see how the image's composition prioritizes exoticism, reinforcing colonial power dynamics. The texture of the print is smooth, betraying its mass-produced nature. The artist, or more accurately the manufacturer, probably used multiple stones to achieve the full-color image. The image would have been printed, cut, and then inserted into cigarette packs as a collectible item. These cards fueled consumer culture, and simultaneously propagated biased views of indigenous people. Consider the labor involved: from the artists creating the image, to the factory workers printing and packaging it, to the tobacco farmers themselves. This seemingly innocent card is deeply embedded in the social and economic structures of its time. It reminds us that even the smallest objects can carry significant cultural weight.