Icelandic, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros. 1890

This small printed card, "Icelandic," was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of their "Types of Nationalities" series. Made of paper, ink, and a bit of glue, it was churned out using industrial printing processes. The artwork illustrates an Icelander holding a pack of "Sweet Caporal" cigarettes. Consider the labor involved in creating this image: from the farmers growing tobacco, to the factory workers assembling the cigarettes, to the artists and printers producing the cards. Each card represents a convergence of agricultural production, industrial manufacturing, and artistic representation. The image suggests that smoking these cigarettes is a sign of sophistication. This card embodies a moment in time when mass production, advertising, and cultural representation intertwined. Examining everyday artifacts like this card allows us to challenge traditional notions of art history, revealing the complex social dynamics embedded in even the most seemingly trivial objects.