Monkey, from the Quadrupeds series (N21) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This is a lithograph of a monkey, part of the Quadrupeds series for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, offer us a glimpse into how animals were perceived and marketed during the height of colonial expansion. Consider the role of tobacco companies like Allen & Ginter in shaping cultural attitudes through these collectible cards. While seemingly innocuous, this image, and others like it, circulated within a society grappling with race, class, and its relationship to the natural world. The monkey, rendered in a style that romanticizes the exotic, reflects a Western gaze that seeks to classify and commodify the animal kingdom. What does it mean to reduce a living being to a mere collectible, a token to be traded and consumed alongside cigarettes? This image encapsulates a moment in history where the boundaries between nature, commerce, and cultural representation become blurred, inviting us to reflect on the values and ideologies embedded within.