Persian Starling, from the Song Birds of the World series (N23) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: This chromolithograph is called *Persian Starling*, made in 1890 by Allen & Ginter as part of a series for cigarette cards. It's such a tiny image, yet the bird seems poised for flight with so much energy. The colours are so delicate! What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Ah, yes, it's a tiny jewel, isn’t it? Instantly, I am drawn into the echo of ukiyo-e, those fabulous Japanese prints, re-imagined for the Western world. Do you see it too, that dance of nature carefully observed and delightfully composed? This was the Victorian era's way of collecting the world – small, beautifully rendered pieces – glimpses into exoticism, even as one puffed away on a cigarette! Editor: Definitely! I can see how the colours and composition feel very inspired by Japanese prints. But how literal was the reference? Did it just copy compositional tricks? Curator: Not exactly “copying,” more like… absorbing and transforming. Ukiyo-e prints were wildly popular then, influencing Western art from painting to poster design. Consider this a little haiku—a burst of fleeting beauty distilled onto a tiny rectangle, offering an aesthetic pause amidst the hustle of industrializing society. Did that aesthetic work as an ad? Perhaps the smoker reflected a bit as they collected these! Editor: So, in a way, it’s both a tiny artwork and a clever marketing strategy? Curator: Precisely. These cards were conversation starters, windows onto another world. A little piece of affordable, collectable art, subtly nudging you to buy another pack. Makes you wonder what little treasures future societies will find in our discarded wrappers! Editor: I hadn’t thought about the cigarette card as a little piece of "collectable art.” Very insightful. Thank you.