Flower Dance, from National Dances (N225, Type 1) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company produced this small lithograph titled "Flower Dance" as part of a series around 1888. These were included in cigarette packs to stiffen them and entice customers. The image depicts a woman in what is meant to be traditional Japanese dress, complete with a kimono, obi, and stylized hair. She holds a fan and flowers while posed in mid-dance. This card comes from a time of increasing cultural exchange, but also a pervasive exoticism. How does the image reflect genuine cultural appreciation versus commercial exploitation? To understand this artwork, it is useful to explore archival business records, analyze marketing strategies, and consider the social appetite for exotic images during the late 19th century. Looking at "Flower Dance" in its historical context allows us to reflect on how cultural imagery can be both a bridge between societies and a tool for capitalist gains.