Flies Above, North American Chief, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

This vibrant chromolithograph, titled *Flies Above, North American Chief*, is a tiny gem from 1888, measuring just 2⅔ × 1½ inches. Produced by the William S. Kimball & Company—a prominent American tobacco firm—it belongs to the "Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers" series (N189), a set of collectible cards inserted into cigarette packs to entice buyers and spark trading among enthusiasts. Depicting the Native American leader Flies Above in portrait format, it captures a moment of exoticized curiosity in late 19th-century America. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized commercial printing by allowing vivid, multi-color images to be mass-produced affordably, making art accessible beyond elite circles. Kimball's cards blended education with marketing, showcasing global figures from "semi-barbarous" lands—a term reflecting Victorian-era stereotypes that romanticized and othered non-Western cultures, including Indigenous peoples. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera highlights how everyday objects preserved portraits and stories. Today, it invites reflection on evolving views of Native American representation, reminding us how commerce shaped cultural narratives.

About the Artist

William S. Kimball & Company · 1850–1950

**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...