Carrier Pigeon, from the Birds of America series (N4) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: Here we have “Carrier Pigeon,” a piece from the “Birds of America” series, printed in 1888. It was made as part of Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands. You can find it now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: It looks like something between a scientific illustration and, I don’t know, a mascot design? There's a weird intensity in its stare. Almost hypnotic. Curator: That intensity could come from the pigeon itself as a symbol. They've been used to carry messages since ancient times. They were celebrated as heroes and symbols of communication. This drawing really showcases how central they were to the Victorian imagination. Editor: It's strange, the domesticity mixed with... nobility? It’s got a fluffy white growth on its beak. Is it sick? And what's up with that single, oddly placed house in the background? It's like the bird's guardian, silently witnessing some bygone era. Curator: Carrier pigeons developed those fleshy wattles through selective breeding. Visual cues signaled pedigree and, by extension, reliability. The house speaks to this being a domesticated, highly valued animal—linking to notions of home, messages sent and received, building community. Editor: Right! So it's not just about sending messages but connecting the idea of 'home' to a particular place through these winged messengers. Curator: Precisely. Consider also, during that era, tobacco cards provided visual windows onto the wider world, expanding consumers’ knowledge, and linking brands to nature, culture, progress. The cards themselves functioned a bit like the pigeons, circulating information. Editor: Like tweets before Twitter! Thinking about it now, its funny how it connects something ephemeral – a cigarette, smoke – with a bird, that once held really valuable items! This whole composition starts singing different song than a scientific brochure! Curator: These symbolic layers make these cards far more compelling cultural artifacts. These brands truly wanted their consumers to create collections of such cultural goods. Editor: All of this adds new weight to the image! Thanks to the symbolic details, and also historical aspects of communication we rediscovered it together.