Chambarango, Chief of Uganda, Africa, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This lithograph of Chambarango, Chief of Uganda, was produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of a series of trade cards. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, were often included in cigarette packs and other consumer goods. What's striking here is the way this image participates in the visual codes of colonialism. Note the title, "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers." The very act of categorizing leaders from diverse cultures under such a label reflects the power dynamics of the time. Images like these were circulated widely, shaping public perceptions and reinforcing stereotypes about non-Western societies. As art historians, we can examine such images to unpack the complex social and institutional contexts in which they were produced and consumed. Through archival research, we can trace the circulation of these images. It is important to challenge the ways in which art has been used to perpetuate inequality.