Mahomed Sadikh Khan, Ruler of Lalpura, Afghanistan, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This small chromolithograph was produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co., as part of a series entitled "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers." Consider the cultural context of the late 19th century, when European and American imperial powers were expanding their reach across the globe. Images like this were circulated widely, functioning as a form of propaganda that reinforced existing power structures. The visual codes are telling; Mahomed Sadikh Khan's image is softened and romanticized, yet the series title casts him as "savage," framing him as an exotic, foreign, other. The title locates him as a subject of colonial domination rather than a leader in his own right. To truly understand this image, we need to delve into the social and institutional histories that shaped its creation and reception. We can ask, how did these images impact public perception? How did they influence political discourse and foreign policy? By examining such resources, we can uncover the complex power dynamics at play.