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

This small chromolithograph of a Red Snapper was produced by Knapp & Company as part of a series of fish images for Duke brand cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, were a marketing strategy to stiffen cigarette packs, but also to engage consumers. This image, like others in the series, presents a vision of natural abundance, but it also reflects a shift in attitudes towards the natural world. Here we see the rise of consumer culture and the commodification of nature as a resource. Consider the cultural context of the time. The late 1800s was a period of rapid industrialization in the United States. This image reflects a growing interest in scientific classification and a desire to catalogue and understand the natural world. It also promoted a specific vision of American identity tied to expansion and resource extraction. Understanding this print involves looking at the history of advertising, the development of printing technology, and the changing relationship between humans and the environment. Art isn't created in a vacuum. It reflects the social and institutional contexts of its time.