Moorish, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros. 1890

This small card, "Moorish, from Types of Nationalities," was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. Though it appears to be a simple paper print, its significance lies in its mass production. Printed through industrial processes, this card was one of many inserted into tobacco packages. The very qualities of the card – its thinness, its glossy surface, the precision of the printed image – all speak to its origins in a factory setting. Consider, too, the sheer quantity of these cards that must have been produced, distributed alongside a consumer product, and collected or discarded by consumers. The card’s subject is a stereotype, a figure reduced to a set of presumed characteristics. This makes the card an artifact of social history, tied to issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The card challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, prompting us to consider how mass-produced images shape our perceptions and perpetuate stereotypes.