Mexican Hairless, from the Dogs of the World series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

This is "Mexican Hairless," a chromolithograph card produced by Goodwin & Company, sometime between 1887 and 1890, as part of their "Dogs of the World" series for Old Judge Cigarettes. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as a marketing tool, capitalizing on the late 19th-century fascination with collecting and classifying. More than just a portrait of a dog, this image reflects the social and economic conditions of its time, a period marked by industrial growth and the rise of consumer culture. The Mexican Hairless dog, or Xoloitzcuintli, has a long and culturally significant history in Mexico, dating back to pre-Columbian times. Its inclusion in a series of "world" dogs speaks to the West's increasing interest in the exotic, even as it flattens cultural difference into a commodity. To fully appreciate this card, one might delve into advertising history or explore the cultural context surrounding attitudes towards animals and indigenous cultures during the late 19th century.