Queen of Greece, from World's Sovereigns series (N34) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

Editor: Here we have "Queen of Greece" from the "World's Sovereigns" series, created by Allen & Ginter in 1889. It seems to be a drawing or print, made for cigarette cards. It feels very… imperial and detached. How should we interpret this work in a contemporary context? Curator: This portrait is more than just an image of royalty; it's a fascinating artifact of 19th-century colonialism and consumer culture. The Allen & Ginter company was deliberately packaging imperial power and presenting it as exotic spectacle to be consumed along with their cigarettes. Editor: Exotic spectacle? Can you elaborate? Curator: Cigarette cards like these were wildly popular and functioned as a form of propaganda. By including the "Queen of Greece" in their "World's Sovereigns" series, Allen & Ginter were visually asserting a hierarchy of power. But, do we know which Queen this portrait represents and how much agency she had within this representation? The image flattens complex geopolitics into easily digestible—and disposable—images. The style is a nod to Ukiyo-e woodblock prints, feeding into the orientalist tendencies of the era. Editor: That's… a lot to unpack from a small card. The Ukiyo-e influence makes it seem less like a genuine portrait and more like a character in a story. Curator: Precisely! The queen becomes a signifier of Greek identity that obscures a complex history. Whose stories are centered and whose are pushed to the margins? Understanding this helps us see how visual culture played a part in normalizing colonial power. Editor: It definitely reframes how I see cigarette cards. They're not just collectibles; they are historical texts with cultural and political agendas. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Let's think about the agency and voice of those who are depicted and how can that inform today’s cultural landscape.