Four of Spades, Canoe Race, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Editor: Here we have "Four of Spades, Canoe Race," a drawing printed in 1889 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of their Harlequin Cards series. It depicts two figures in canoes, seemingly racing. It's undeniably caricature-like. What strikes me is the implied commentary on cultural interactions; how do you interpret this work? Curator: That’s a great starting point. Considering this piece was made for tobacco cards, it speaks to a broader social and cultural context. The depiction of a canoe race between a white sailor and an Indigenous person isn’t just a playful image. Editor: It definitely feels pointed, almost like a commentary. Curator: Exactly. We need to look at the history and the power dynamics at play. Tobacco cards like these were mass-produced, becoming readily available within American culture. What’s the message being subtly delivered by showing this ‘competition’ between two unequal figures? Editor: Are you suggesting it might perpetuate certain stereotypes or reflect colonial power structures? Curator: Precisely. The humor may mask a more problematic representation. What aspects of the Indigenous figure’s depiction stand out to you? Does it play into existing tropes? Editor: I see it. There is something almost cartoonish about the facial features. And while I'm looking, are those paddles tipped with spades? Curator: They are, playing on the card-game motif. But consider how it’s been integrated into this image. By examining the everyday circulation of such images, we can unpack the subtle but pervasive ways in which power and prejudice are visualized. Editor: I never would have thought to read that much into something from a tobacco card! I see how important the historical and social context is to understand how people may have received this image. Thank you! Curator: And thank you; you picked up quickly on how such a small object reflects larger issues of representation and power in American culture.