Indian Rhinoceros, from the Animals of the World series (T180), issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

This small card, depicting an Indian Rhinoceros, comes from the Animals of the World series issued by Abdul Cigarettes. It's a chromolithograph, a color printing technique that was popular for mass-produced images at the turn of the century. The printing process is crucial to understanding its purpose. Chromolithography allowed for relatively inexpensive color images to be made, perfect for inserting into cigarette packs as a collectible item. The image of the rhino itself, rendered with careful detail, would have been a small window onto a wider world for consumers. Note the texture of the animal's skin, and the surrounding foliage – these details speak to the quality that chromolithography could achieve. The card represents a fascinating intersection of consumer culture, artistic technique, and our enduring fascination with the natural world. By considering how it was made, and why, we can appreciate this artwork as more than just a picture of a rhino. It's a artifact of its time, reflecting the values and priorities of a society in the midst of industrial change.