Portugal, from the Natives in Costume series (N16) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886

This small chromolithograph, "Portugal," was made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes as part of the Natives in Costume series. Immediately, the composition strikes us with its vertical orientation, mirroring the figure who stands tall with a staff against the backdrop of a subdued seascape. The artist's precise rendering of the figure's attire invites a semiotic reading: The vibrant red vest, the striped trousers, and the yellow hat are not merely decorative, they are laden with cultural significance and function as signifiers of Portuguese identity. The formal arrangement divides the artwork into distinct zones – figure, sea, and text– yet integrates them to create a harmonious, readable image. The lines of the staff extend and intersect creating implied diagonal lines that lead the eye through the composition. Allen and Ginter use this to create a memorable image that functions simultaneously as a trade card and an ethnographic study. It encourages an understanding of art as a construct deeply embedded in its socio-cultural context.