Spain, from the Natives in Costume series (N16), Teofani Issue, for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1886 - 1900

This small chromolithograph entitled 'Spain, from the Natives in Costume series' was produced by Allen & Ginter as an advertising card for cigarette brands. The card depicts a figure in what is understood to be traditional Spanish attire, set against a simple landscape. Note how the composition is structured around the central figure, whose clothing uses contrasting colors. The trim of the jacket, and the sash around the waist uses yellows and reds that catch the eye. The flatness of the color and the simplification of form contributes to the card's graphic clarity, and in some ways its symbolic function. The artwork, produced for commercial purposes, serves as a signifier of Spanish identity. The image's function as a sign is evident—intended to associate the exoticism and romance of Spain with the cigarette brand. It raises questions about representation, cultural exchange, and the commercialization of identity.