Big Chief, Ponca, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N36) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

About this artwork

This prints|ephemera by american artist Allen & Ginter exemplifies the artistic achievements of 1888. American artists of this period were establishing distinct visual traditions while engaging with European artistic movements. The artist's work in commercial color lithograph demonstrates the importance of printmaking as both an artistic medium and a means of disseminating images widely. Executed in commercial color lithograph, this work demonstrates the sophisticated technical processes involve...

Art Historical Context

"Big Chief, Ponca is a captivating portrait from Allen & Ginter's American Indian Chiefs series (N), issued in 1888 as inserts in cigarette packs. These small chromolithographs fueled the era's collecting craze, introducing everyday Americans to images of Native leaders amid the fading frontier. Captured in vivid color, the card depicts a dignified Ponca chief, reflecting late 19th-century fascination with Indigenous cultures—often romanticized through popular media—while highlighting the company's innovative marketing. Printed as a commercial color lithograph on a modest sheet of 2 7/8 x 3 1...

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter

Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...