White-Throated Shag, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

Editor: This is the "White-Throated Shag" print from the "Birds of the Tropics" series, created in 1889 for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. The bird has such vibrant coloring; its plumage feels very alive. How should we interpret a piece like this? Curator: Given its context as a cigarette card, we need to consider the interwoven narratives of colonialism, commerce, and exoticism. These cards circulated widely, embedding a specific, often romanticized, view of the world. What does the phrase "Birds of the Tropics" evoke for you? Editor: I suppose it creates a sense of wonder but also distance—like these birds are somewhere far away and unreachable for the average person. Curator: Exactly. This remoteness naturalizes the exploitation of both the natural world and the people inhabiting these "tropical" regions. The card presents an idyllic scene while obscuring the realities of resource extraction and imperial expansion facilitated by companies like Allen & Ginter. The printing process is also crucial; think about the labor involved, who benefited, and who was excluded. Where were the raw materials sourced? Who created this artwork, and what was their positionality? Editor: So it’s not just a picture of a bird. It's a product of its time, complicit in larger power structures. Curator: Precisely! By understanding these intersectional narratives, we can decode the embedded ideologies and begin to unpack our own relationship to this history. It's about questioning the seemingly innocuous and revealing its underlying complexities. Editor: That makes me think differently about collecting things – whose stories are really being told? Curator: And who is being silenced in the process. Reflecting on this shifts our perspective.