Cigar Store Indian c. 1937

Walter Hochstrasser made this "Cigar Store Indian" in an unknown year, using watercolor, graphite, and possibly gouache on paper. These are traditional materials, and the approach is one of careful record-keeping. This artwork is interesting because it documents a form which is itself so interesting: the wooden "cigar store Indian" statues that were ubiquitous in the 19th century. These were commercial objects, carved usually in multiples and painted to a bright, attractive sheen. They were advertisements, signaling that tobacco was for sale within. But of course, they were also more than that. The statues reflect the complicated and tragic history of colonial America. The skilled labor of carving these figures, often by anonymous makers, became a symbol of both commerce and cultural appropriation. This image offers a glimpse into how commercial objects can carry complex cultural meanings.