Great Bird of Paradise, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This late nineteenth-century chromolithograph, printed by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand, presents the Great Bird of Paradise. The bird, perched delicately on a branch, displays its magnificent plumage – a symbol of otherworldly beauty. This very symbol has fluttered through human imagination across centuries. Consider the medieval bestiaries, where exotic birds like this one represented the divine and unattainable. In Renaissance painting, birds often symbolized the soul and the spiritual connection between heaven and earth. Yet, here we find the bird reduced to a token, commodified for the burgeoning market of consumer goods. The degradation of such a powerful symbol speaks volumes. It mirrors our collective subconscious – a longing for paradise, now exploited and packaged. The bird, once a sacred messenger, is here confined to a cigarette card, its vibrant colors a mere distraction. This image reflects a shift in perception, a haunting reminder of lost innocence and the commercialization of the sacred.