Guatemala, from Flags of All Nations, Series 1 (N9) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1887

This lithograph of Guatemala is part of the “Flags of All Nations” series, made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards, distributed with tobacco products, reflect the era's fascination with nationalism and global trade. They also show a very one-sided view of U.S. expansionism. Notice how the flag dominates the composition, obscuring the landscape and the volcano, symbols of Guatemala's natural and cultural richness. The inclusion of a ship suggests commerce and exploration. But let's not forget how these activities were intertwined with colonialism and the exploitation of resources and people. What does it mean to put a national symbol on an object associated with addiction? The card invites us to consider whose stories are told, and whose are erased, in these small but loaded images. It's a reminder that the symbols of nationhood are always entangled with histories of power, trade, and representation.