Tabacs

A glimpse at a 17th century tobacco plantation.

This striking copperplate engraved view by Alain Manesson Mallet, published in Paris c. 1683, offers a brief glimpse into the industrial operations of tobacco farming in the French West Indies. In the foreground, a white European planter, finely attired, lords over the nearly naked Black slaves, setting the overall tone of economic subjugation that made the commodity one of the most profitable exports of the New World (after sugar). The valuable plant, harvested by hand, is first dried and then manually processed into long ropes, allowing for maximum storage efficiency and product preservation during the long voyage across the Atlantic. In the background, the rudimentary slave huts (casas negres) mark a striking contrast to the well-constructed warehouse.

Sources: National Park Service; Brewminate