Papal Standard, from Flags of All Nations, Series 1 (N9) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

"Papal Standard," part of the "Flags of All Nations" series, was created by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. These cards were immensely popular in the late 19th century, feeding into a growing American interest in global cultures and symbols, but let's consider the power dynamics at play here. Produced in Richmond, Virginia, a former capital of the Confederacy, this image of the Vatican flag circulates within a society still grappling with the legacies of slavery and racial inequality. How might the average consumer understand this image of religious and political authority while also dealing with their own social and political realities? The exoticism of foreign symbols was packaged and sold alongside tobacco, a crop whose cultivation was historically intertwined with the exploitation of enslaved people. It’s impossible to ignore this complex interplay of commerce, identity, and history embedded in this small, yet potent, image.