Tamarind, from the Fruits series (N12) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1891

This chromolithograph, "Tamarind," from Allen & Ginter's "Fruits" series, presents a young girl framed by the tamarind plant, its leaves and seedpods encircling her. The image, meant to adorn cigarette packs, uses the natural world to symbolize freshness and exoticism. The garland motif, a ring of foliage, has ancient roots, evoking classical associations of victory, celebration, and the cyclical nature of life. Think of Roman emperors crowned with laurel wreaths, emblems of triumph, or Renaissance paintings where garlands signify abundance. Here, it flirts with notions of purity and innocence, yet also hints at a worldliness associated with the exotic tamarind fruit, and the seductive appeal of cigarettes. It is the cyclical progression of visual symbols that I find truly fascinating. This commercial image taps into something primal, our collective memory recognizing a deeper, more profound visual language, subtly shifting in meaning to resonate with contemporary desires.