India, from the International Cards series (N238), issued by Kinney Bros. 1888

This vibrant card, "India," was produced by Kinney Bros. as part of their International Cards series. The composition arranges varied emblems against an ornate backdrop, immediately drawing the eye through its dense symbolism. Visually, the card is structured around binary oppositions: flags and portraits, text and image. Note the combination of the Union Jack with American stripes; this juxtaposition destabilizes conventional notions of national identity, suggesting a complex interplay between colonial power and American expansionism. Consider the portrait of Earl Dufferin, framed by elephant tusks—a formal device that exoticizes the subject, reducing an individual to a symbol of imperial authority. The "Order of the Star" further complicates the narrative, introducing layers of hierarchy and value judgments. Through these formal choices, the card offers a condensed, yet conflicted vision of colonial India, inviting us to question the structures of power and representation.