Chamois, from the Animals of the World series (T180), issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

Curator: We're looking at "Chamois," from the Animals of the World series (T180), dating back to 1881, a print issued by Abdul Cigarettes and held here at the Met. Editor: My first thought? A surprisingly elegant caricature. The pose, the slightly elongated limbs... there’s a definite charm in how the chamois is rendered. Curator: It’s interesting that you use the word “caricature," as there’s certainly a focus on contour and a distilled essence of ‘chamois-ness.’ We see this particularly in the curvature of the horns and the texture of its coat rendered in coloured pencil. Editor: Right, the coloured pencil is crucial here. Think of the distribution networks needed for those materials to be available for this type of mass production. Each layer informs another layer, almost hiding the source and purpose. It's fascinating that it’s connected to cigarette production, intended for momentary distraction. It speaks volumes about value and perceived worth in 19th century capitalist society. Curator: Absolutely. And that tension between "art" and advertisement prompts further scrutiny. Considering it was intended as part of a collectible series packaged with cigarettes, it speaks to the role of visual culture and how certain imagery or symbolism reinforced social structures of that era. The formal decisions—the pose, the composition against the backdrop of mountains, arguably speaks to a cultural ideal about nature. Editor: Precisely. A manufactured desire for the wild, printed on flimsy paper and easily discarded once it had fulfilled its initial purpose— enticement. It all comes down to how meaning and value were constructed around a basic material good. This artwork prompts one to think deeply about labor, material, and consumption in art and commercial exchange. Curator: Thank you for that rich material exploration. It serves as a fascinating lens to observe Abdul Cigarettes use of visual codes in mass appeal—one that ultimately invites questions regarding hierarchy and the perception of animals as property within a commercial system. Editor: Indeed, this single card unpacks the very foundations of commodification!