Fandango, from National Dances (N225, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This small lithograph, "Fandango", from the National Dances series, was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The figure leaps from the card in vivid colour and dynamic form, suggestive of the dance it depicts. The dancer's body is articulated through strong diagonals and curves; the tilt of the head, the angle of the limbs, and the flourish of the sash all contribute to a sense of movement frozen in time. The eye is drawn to the vibrant palette of reds, blues, and golds. The dancer's costume creates a spectacle through the use of colour to denote the Spanish dance tradition. This image, mass-produced to promote tobacco, engages with the broader semiotic system of cultural identity. Here, the “Fandango” becomes a signifier, less about the dance itself and more about a set of associations tied to Spanish identity. This image challenges fixed notions of cultural representation, highlighting the exchange between cultures, and raising questions about how meaning is constructed. The reading of this image is fluid, shaped by our own cultural and historical context.