King Fish, from the series Fishers and Fish (N74) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph, "King Fish," was made by Knapp & Company as part of a series for Duke brand cigarettes. Here, the 'king fish' is presented not just as a creature of the waters, but as an emblem, a regal figure within its domain. Consider the fish as a symbol – in ancient cultures, the fish represented fertility, abundance, and transformation. Think of the Babylonian fish-god Ea, or the Christian symbol of the fish, secretly used by early believers. Now, see how this king fish, depicted with a certain authority, echoes those ancient symbols. The notion of the 'king' introduces a hierarchy, a social structure projected onto nature. This intersects with our primitive need to order and understand the world. This act of naming, of bestowing titles, is a very human endeavor, deeply rooted in our collective memory and desire to make sense of the chaos of existence. It underscores how we continually reshape nature through the lens of our own cultural narratives.