Rainbow Pitta, from the Birds of the Tropics series (N5) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

Editor: This is the "Rainbow Pitta," from the Birds of the Tropics series, a print from 1889 for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands. I'm struck by the blend of what looks like traditional bird illustration with these pastel, almost abstract botanical elements in the background. What can you tell me about this image? Curator: What immediately catches my eye is that this wasn't created as some singular artistic vision, but specifically for commercial circulation, reproduced en masse for cigarette cards. Consider the labor: the original artist, the printing process, the factory workers packaging cigarettes. Each contributing a piece to the bird’s eventual distribution. It collapses any neat separation between high art and the everyday production of consumable goods. What kind of material do you think it's printed on, and what would that choice say about its place in society? Editor: The colours seem so vibrant – I'm guessing some kind of glossy card stock, durable enough to be collected and traded? Like baseball cards, almost? Curator: Exactly. Think about it – this image circulated widely, bringing a vision of "exotic" nature into homes, shaping perceptions of faraway places tied to tobacco's own colonial production. This is Japonisme, after all. So, how does the *materiality* of this image – its existence as a trade card – influence its message? Editor: I guess I hadn't really thought about the tobacco connection. So, it’s not just a pretty bird picture; it's tied into global trade, labor practices… the consumption habits of the late 19th century. The 'exotic' imagery seems to hide those processes. Curator: Precisely! By focusing on these aspects, we begin to understand the power dynamics inherent in art’s creation and distribution. Editor: That's really insightful, looking beyond the image itself and at how it was made and used. Thanks! Curator: And considering how something so seemingly innocent could play such a role in shaping perceptions. Always ask, "how did it get here and who benefited?".