Orangoutang, from Quadrupeds series (N41) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Allen & Ginter produced this lithograph of an Orangutan as part of a series of collectible cards inserted into cigarette packs. Made at the height of the 19th-century industrial boom, these cards served as both advertising and education for a rapidly urbanizing population, eager to learn about a wider world. The exoticism of the Orangutan – depicted alongside tropical flora and fauna – speaks to the era's fascination with natural history and imperial expansion. The images are designed to invoke a sense of wonder and discovery, while subtly promoting the consumption of tobacco products. Cards like these reflected the social values of their time, particularly around issues of race, class, and colonialism. In order to fully appreciate their historical context, a wide range of research is required, including attention to business and advertising history, as well as popular science and the ideologies of empire.