Mad Bear, Lower Yanktonas Sioux, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N36) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This is "Mad Bear, Lower Yanktonas Sioux," a lithograph trading card made by Allen & Ginter. The card is divided into three vertical panels, each employing different visual strategies. The central panel features a portrait of Mad Bear against a neutral backdrop, creating an immediate, personal connection. The panels to the left and right are filled with cultural artifacts, such as a ceremonial wheel and feathered lance, rendered with detailed precision, yet flattened as graphic symbols. The interplay between the portrait and these symbolic elements creates an intriguing tension. Is the portrait meant to authenticate the symbols, or do the symbols exoticize the portrait? The composition encourages us to question the very act of representation. We are left contemplating the relationship between identity, symbol, and the cultural narratives that these images evoke.