Cuspidor c. 1941

Adolph Opstad rendered this watercolor and graphite drawing of a cuspidor sometime between 1870 and 1920. Cuspidors, or spittoons, became common in the 19th century because of the widespread habit of chewing tobacco. The form of this one, a monkey, speaks to the fraught cultural context of that era. During this time Westerners increasingly came into contact with other parts of the world, especially Africa and Asia. Popular culture often relied on racist stereotypes and caricatures when representing non-white people. Here, the artist uses the figure of the monkey in a way that dehumanizes and degrades. There’s a sense of mockery, where something functional is made grotesque. The cuspidor’s open lid and the monkey’s melancholic expression evoke a feeling of being caught in a cycle of habit and shame. This is a reminder of the power dynamics embedded in everyday objects.