Africa, from the Types of All Nations series (N24) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This small chromolithograph, part of Allen & Ginter's "Types of All Nations," depicts a man identified as being from Africa. His adornments, such as the feathered headdress and beaded necklace, speak to cultural identity and status. Consider how such adornments echo through history. Feathers, for example, have been used in countless cultures to symbolize power, spirituality, and connection to the divine, reminiscent of ancient Egyptian headdresses or the ceremonial garb of indigenous peoples. The necklace, too, bears a resemblance to ancient forms of adornment, echoing motifs of protection and belonging. Yet, here, these symbols are mediated through the lens of a commercial enterprise. What once held deep cultural significance becomes commodified, reduced to a "type" for consumption. This raises profound questions about how cultures are perceived, packaged, and sold, tapping into both our fascination with the "exotic" and our latent anxieties about cultural difference. The image thus serves as a powerful reminder of how easily symbols can be stripped of their original meaning, repurposed to serve new, often troubling, narratives.