Gray Hawk, North American Chief, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

Curator: This striking portrait is called "Gray Hawk, North American Chief." It’s from a series called "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers" made by William S. Kimball & Co. around 1888. Editor: There's such a solemn air around this image. He feels almost spectral, this figure presented on what appears to be a small card—like holding a fading memory in your palm. Curator: These cards were actually inserts in cigarette packs. Kimball, like other manufacturers, used them as promotional items. The imagery—the “chiefs and rulers” theme—played into popular, albeit deeply problematic, notions of the time regarding indigenous peoples. Consider how they frame labor, commercial appeal, and assumptions of power in the 19th century. Editor: It's fascinating, the thought of someone casually flipping through this with a cigarette in hand, then and now. There's something tragic about this image, removed from its original intent and now gazing out at us. I find myself thinking of feathers fallen on dusty ground and the impermanence of so much human-made meaning. Curator: Yes, it certainly brings up complicated issues of representation. These weren’t created in a vacuum, and understanding the context of production, the who, what, where, and why behind their circulation is really key. Editor: I keep being drawn to the limited colour palette, too. How intentional do you think this was? Almost as though time has bleached the life from it, fading the story like whispers in the wind. And the softness of the colored pencil, so unlike what one might imagine for this type of mass-produced item, feels strangely poignant. Curator: The colours and technique likely stemmed from the production requirements of mass printing. Consider the cost and technological constraints – cheap collectables needed to be rendered quickly, cheaply and yet appealing to customers buying cigarettes. Editor: A ghost caught in amber. A simple thing, ultimately. It feels much larger than its modest frame suggests. Curator: Absolutely, this humble artefact really prompts a layered reading of history and manufacturing, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Entirely. It encourages reflection on so many complicated aspects related to identity and cultural meaning.