Art historian Alison Fraunhar examines how graphic and fine arts helped trace the contours of national identity in colonial Cuba well before the island’s independence. Fraunhar dwells on maps and other visual representations of rural and urban landscapes, people, and historical events that were critical to imagine Cuba as a separate nation with its own culture. The author argues persuasively that late nineteenth-century images of the island’s geography, history, and culture continue to be significant visual markers for contemporary Cuban artists.