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

Editor: Here we have *Opossum, from Quadrupeds series (N41) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes*, dating back to 1890. It’s a colour print, based on watercolor and colored pencil drawing, originally made to be inserted into cigarette packs. What can you tell me about it? Curator: This is such an intriguing piece precisely *because* of its origins. Cigarette cards were mass-produced, meant to be disposable, even though they often had collectible value. Thinking about Allen & Ginter as a corporation, we need to consider their use of artists to produce appealing images. How were these artists compensated for their labor? Editor: That's an angle I hadn’t considered. The Impressionistic landscape feels almost incongruous alongside an image advertising cigarettes. Curator: Exactly. The very materiality of the card itself becomes significant. Think about the paper quality, the ink, the printing process – all industrial products contributing to a culture of consumption. How does that influence your perception of it now? Editor: It's like this idyllic nature scene is being used, almost exploited, to sell a product that's not so natural. There's definitely a tension between the artistic merit and the capitalist agenda. Curator: Precisely! It compels us to examine how the value of "art" changes based on its production context and how this artwork becomes a cultural artifact. The commodification of images and ideas… that is something worth contemplating. Editor: So true. Looking at the *Opossum* with a more critical eye highlights all those things. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. Now you’re thinking like a true materialist!