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

Curator: This is "Black Bear, from the Quadrupeds series" created around 1890. It’s a drawing and print made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette cards. Quite an interesting choice of subject matter! Editor: It is a rather intense scene. The immediate focus is on the raw flesh the bear is consuming, contrasting with the more subdued backdrop. It's quite striking for such a small print. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the context: these cards were collected and traded, predominantly by men. The bear as a symbol is tied to raw power and wilderness. Allen & Ginter were capitalizing on these notions, reinforcing ideas about masculinity and dominance that resonated with their consumer base. The ideal of men needing to demonstrate these abilities when they went West. Editor: True, and in that line, observe how the texture has been achieved in the fur. There's an attention to detail that elevates it beyond a mere promotional image, don't you think? See the contrast of color to suggest form! Curator: Definitely. This image plays into a much larger narrative of frontier expansion and the taming of nature, prevalent in American ideology. The image taps into this myth, suggesting humans overcoming such forces is not always possible but a nice thought to push in propaganda. Editor: Yes, but beyond this imagery it stands alone with form that invites a prolonged look. There's the weight of the bear, grounded. But the limited tonal range almost flattens the picture plane. It has depth but fights the depth that it is so strongly presenting. Curator: A flattening that further reduces it to its intended, manipulative message as a status symbol within a certain social hierarchy. It’s fascinating how so much cultural meaning can be packed into something so small and seemingly innocuous. It encourages us to explore larger themes like civilization versus the wild. Editor: Exactly, the success is on how this narrative coexists within an attractive image. Curator: These things have such lasting echoes.