Cigar Store Indian c. 1937

Florian Rokita made this painting of a cigar store Indian. The figure, adorned with feathers, stands as a symbol of the indigenous peoples encountered during the expansion of commerce. The feathered headdress and the offering of tobacco are gestures laden with meaning. In ancient cultures, feathers symbolized power and a connection to the divine, seen in depictions of Egyptian gods and Renaissance angels. Here, the headdress might evoke notions of nobility, and the tobacco could represent trade or even tribute. Yet, this image is mediated through the lens of commercial enterprise, where the figure becomes a commodity, a signifier for the wares sold within. Consider how this contrasts with the headdress's spiritual significance in indigenous cultures. This symbol has been reshaped, its sacred power repurposed. The commercial reshaping of cultural symbols speaks to the complex interplay between memory, perception, and the subconscious forces that shape our understanding of the world.