Haddock, from Fish from American Waters series (N39) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

Allen & Ginter's "Haddock," from the "Fish from American Waters" series, presents a curious assembly of images within a compact format. Predominantly, it features a meticulously rendered haddock set against a pale blue, watery backdrop. The composition is deliberately layered; the haddock is presented as an image on a card, which is laid over a tableau of late 19th century women on a beach. One woman's hat is decorated with what seems to be a dead fish. This superimposition of elements—fish, card, women—creates a complex interplay of representation and reality. The palette is muted, with soft greens, browns, and blues, contributing to the print's nostalgic feel. The effect is unsettling, as the natural and artificial blend and challenge the boundaries of what is real versus what is represented. The artwork suggests a culture grappling with its relationship to the natural world, commodifying it, and turning it into spectacle and adornment. The haddock is simultaneously a subject of scientific interest and a decorative motif. This tension between science and aesthetics highlights the broader cultural shifts of the period.