Shaft-tailed Bunting, from the Song Birds of the World series (N42) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This is a chromolithograph of a Shaft-tailed Bunting from the Song Birds of the World series, made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarettes. The print is divided into three distinct sections with a background that is a symphony of soft hues including peach, green, and sky blue. Here, the composition is rigidly structured and the framing is a semiotic sign, typical of cigarette cards, which gives meaning to the image. On the left, the advertisement is stacked vertically while the central panel displays the bird perched delicately on a branch, its tail elegantly cascading down. The bird is carefully balanced. Its tail feathers are depicted with precision and parallel formation. Then the scene shifts to the right where the nest is isolated. The use of color and line not only identifies the bird but also places it within a broader context, linking commercial, scientific, and aesthetic values. This structured approach reflects a world neatly categorized, yet the bird’s exotic plumage subtly disrupts this order, suggesting the untamed beauty of nature beyond the frame. This chromolithograph transcends its commercial origins. It serves as a small window into the complex interplay between representation and reality.