Java Grosbeak, from the Song Birds of the World series (N42) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This is "Java Grosbeak," from the Song Birds of the World series, a late 19th-century lithograph by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brand. The composition divides into three distinct vertical panels. The leftmost panel is dominated by an advertisement, while the central and rightmost panels feature images of the Java Grosbeak. In the central panel, the bird clings to a branch, its form rendered with soft, blended colors, offering a contrast to the flat planes of color elsewhere. In the rightmost panel, the bird sits in a nest set against an abstract background of pale vertical lines. The lithograph’s structural arrangement is defined by clear spatial divisions. This segmentation, paired with the overt advertising message, underscores the piece’s commercial function. Yet, the detailed rendering of the bird introduces a naturalistic element. The juxtaposition of industrial advertising with the delicate depiction of nature highlights the cultural tensions of the period. The image's structure invites us to consider the constructed nature of both commerce and our understanding of the natural world.