Black Hawk, Sac and Fox, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: Look at this character—Black Hawk of the Sac and Fox tribe, captured in colored pencil and print in 1888. He seems very serious. Editor: Initially, what strikes me is the direct gaze—almost confrontational—juxtaposed with the rather flamboyant feather and decorative attire. Is he challenging the viewer, or is there a sense of forced representation here? Curator: Well, this image comes from a series of portraits, featured on collectible cards for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. So yes, a calculated and certainly commercial representation is present. He is now a commodity, a prize in a pack. Editor: The circular motifs are immediately appealing: the roundels on his hat, his ornaments…Circles are symbols of continuity, of cycles, of the earth and sun. Curator: Interesting…do you think Allen and Ginter understood these deeper symbolic references? Probably not. This is less about Indigenous representation, I suspect, and more about exotic appeal. It is pure product-driven imagery—packaged to entice cigarette buyers. Editor: Perhaps, but even filtered through the lens of commercialism, symbols retain a trace of their original power. His headdress, the feather…these are undeniably signifiers of status and spiritual connection to the land. There’s an echo of authenticity, however faint. The choice to focus on his facial features—those incredible dark eyes—also hints at something beyond mere exoticism. The use of colored pencil gives an intimate quality. The clothing with his medals gives away his role in negotiations with the settlers. Curator: Yes, I suppose his own complicated agency is something that you pick up there. The tragedy is, Black Hawk and his people were manipulated, misrepresented, and dispossessed…all for commerce and territorial gains. This small drawing captures that sad story, maybe unintentionally, very effectively. The original is on view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: For me, the drawing is a fascinating case study in how symbols can endure and communicate, even when divorced from their original context, carrying both the weight of cultural heritage and the stain of exploitation. Curator: It makes you wonder what Black Hawk would make of his portrait being collected like this!