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

Curator: This is a card from Allen & Ginter's "Song Birds of the World" series, titled "Scarlet Finch," dating back to 1890. It is a delightful combination of print and watercolor. What’s your immediate take? Editor: The composition is fascinating, quite unconventional for a cigarette card. It gives off a surreal, almost dreamlike aura through the fragmented yet connected scenes. The finch leaps vibrantly against the neutral backdrop. Curator: Yes, let's unpack that a bit. Each panel seemingly represents the bird's potential realms of existence: the gilded cage of captivity, its wild vibrant existence and then finally observing, with its kindred, from beyond a lattice window. The stark juxtaposition highlights imprisonment versus boundless freedom, don’t you agree? Editor: Precisely. Birds throughout art history have represented everything from souls to freedom. This specific finch, rendered in striking crimson hues, further intensifies the symbolism. In Christianity, for instance, the Scarlet Finch often appears to presage or reflect events related to Christ's passion due to its color – and maybe, in turn, promises spiritual redemption. The color dominates the piece. Curator: Notice how the brushstrokes define the shape? Look closer, and it seems to move from left to right, and notice also that despite its compact size, it avoids becoming excessively ornamental. The card, printed by chromolithography, flattens pictorial space into distinct geometric fields. The textual insertion juxtaposed with the illustration enhances the overall structural effect. Editor: And those wintery scenes beyond the window offer a melancholic counterpoint. It’s an interesting detail: the stark naked tree outside mirrors a sense of hopeful new beginnings with the fragile budding sprout indoor nearby. Curator: It’s really quite artful how it incorporates a promotional piece within a commentary on liberation and life cycles. It avoids simply promoting Richmond "Straight Cut No.1" cigarettes but provides so much more. Editor: Definitely food for thought about the confluence of commerce, symbolism, and unexpected poignancy. It would be interesting to think how someone might consume an object with that much loaded imagery, a mass-produced emblem infused with layered metaphor!