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Cirage Nubian
antique lithographic poster
dimensions: 42 3/8" x 58 3/4"
date: c.1900
condition: Good overall condition; this poster has been linen backed - there are no linen margins. Restoration throughout - tears, creases and folds in the margins and in the image. The color is rich and vibrant. This is a rare advertisement.
artist: Henri Gray
printer: Courment Freres, Paris
About the poster:
"S'emploie sans brosser - cremes, pates et preparations Nubian - Pour chaussures et Harnais" (Can be used without brushing-Nubian creams, pastes and preparations - For shoes and harnesses) During the times of Henri Gray, it was not uncommon for companies and artists to use images they found would best help to depict the strongest selling point of a product. Perhaps meant as a compliment as the artwork is magnificent. However, it's clear that they were oblivious to the underlying message. While Gray's portrait of an elegant Nubian's rich skin tone and handsome features were the primary selling point that elevated the product in question, it didn't occur that exploiting the Nubian pigment that the shoe polish was compared to, thus devalued the status of a people with such a rich heritage.
Their history dates back thousands of years. An ethnic group originally from northern Sudan, the Nubians were famous for their vast wealth, a result of their trade between central Africa and the lower Nile valley regions. They are among the earliest cradles of civilization, originating from ancient occupants of the central Nile valley.
