Walachia, from the Dancing Girls of the World series (N185) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This chromolithograph was made by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of the ‘Dancing Girls of the World’ series. These were printed on cigarette cards in the late 19th century. The image depicts a woman in what is presumed to be traditional Wallachian dress, a region now part of Romania. The series speaks to the vogue for collecting and classifying images that became so popular at this time. These cards weren’t simply innocent novelties. They actively participated in a broader cultural project of imagining the world as a place that could be known and cataloged. The dancers become specimens, defined by their place of origin and dress. These cards are interesting historical documents. They are evidence of the rise of mass media and consumer culture, as well as the ways that different cultures were perceived and represented at the time. Further research into the company archives, and the wider context of the series could tell us more about the cultural meanings that these cards held for their original audiences.