Zulu, Woman Messenger, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros. 1890

This small chromolithograph was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a collectible insert. Rather than being painted by hand, the image would have been printed using multiple lithographic stones, each applying a different color. The resulting image of a “Zulu Woman Messenger” gains significance when we consider its origins in mass production and advertising. The company profited from commodifying tobacco, while also commodifying images of people from other cultures. The woman is presented as an exotic curiosity for consumers, and a signifier of global reach. These cards were included in cigarette packs as a marketing strategy. The images promoted a sense of luxury, implicitly associating tobacco use with sophistication and worldliness. And, the cards encouraged repeat purchases, as customers collected the full set. Thinking about the materials and making of this artwork allows us to reflect on the social and cultural context of its production, use, and circulation, and the relationship between art, industry, and consumption.