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

This small chromolithograph, made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of the "Dancing Girls of the World" series, presents a vision of Venezuela through the lens of exoticism and spectacle. The composition centers on a female figure in a vibrant costume, set against a landscape that suggests a distant, idealized locale. The figure’s attire, with its bold colors and striped stockings, emphasizes visual patterns, while the backdrop of stylized vegetation and architecture situates her within a constructed, almost theatrical space. This interplay of figure and setting is less about geographical accuracy and more about creating an image that conforms to popular fantasies of the time. Notice how the arrangement of elements—the curve of her pose, the angle of her hat, the folds of her skirt—creates a dynamic visual rhythm. This rhythm is further enhanced by the use of contrasting colors, which draw the eye across the image. This image serves not as a transparent window onto another culture but as a carefully crafted symbol, laden with cultural assumptions and desires.