Michael Le Basque, Each Man with a Prisoner, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1886 - 1891

This is "Michael Le Basque, Each Man with a Prisoner," a chromolithograph made by Allen & Ginter as part of the "Pirates of the Spanish Main" series. The composition divides our attention between the detailed close-up of Michael Le Basque and the receding figures behind him. Encircling Le Basque's head is a vibrant green field offset by a red flourish, which creates an interesting tension with the more muted palette of the prisoners and their captors. The division of space creates a reading of power dynamics, where Le Basque dominates the foreground while the diminishment of the figures signifies their controlled status. The visual elements work together to convey a narrative of dominance and capture, reflecting broader themes of colonialism, power, and representation during the late 19th century. The card uses the formal qualities of color, scale, and spatial arrangement to communicate a potent ideology. The artwork's meaning lies in its formal structure and in how these elements reflect and reinforce the cultural values of its time.