Big Razor, Blackfeet Sioux, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small chromolithograph, made by Allen & Ginter for cigarette cards, depicts Big Razor of the Blackfeet Sioux. The feathers and fur headdress are central symbols, not merely decorative. Feathers have been seen across cultures as symbols of spirituality and connection to the divine, carrying the weight of ancestral power. Consider the feathered serpent Quetzalcoatl of Mesoamerica, or the feathered headdresses of ancient Egyptian royalty; these are visual echoes across continents. The use of animal fur may represent power and status. Think of the lion's pelt worn by Hercules, a sign of strength and invincibility. Here, the symbols speak to the complex layering of cultural meanings. The lithograph shows a tension between honoring and exoticizing Indigenous cultures, tapping into deep-seated psychological impulses. How collective memory and subconscious processes are at play here, shaping our understanding of cultural identity, power, and spirituality? These symbols reappear, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.