Yellow-breasted Chat, from the Birds of America series (N4) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

Curator: Isn't it charming? This delicate little image, titled "Yellow-breasted Chat," is one from a series called Birds of America. It was made around 1888 for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. Editor: There’s a serene quality about it. The soft colors, the birds nestled amongst these gorgeous flowers. It almost feels like you’re peeking into a secret, tranquil world. Curator: It does. But it’s interesting to consider its original context as a collectible card included in cigarette packs. What was once meant to entice smokers now hangs on a museum wall, inviting a very different kind of contemplation. Editor: Precisely! The late 19th century saw an explosion of advertising imagery aimed at capturing the public imagination, and of course, exploiting it. The "Birds of America" series highlights the ironic position of using natural beauty to sell an ultimately harmful product. I see a tension between aesthetics and consumerism that asks some serious questions about value. Curator: Right, there's definitely something strange there! Thinking of this "Chat" piece as something that could have been tucked away in pockets all that time...It now exists in a curated, thoughtful context in a way that lets the actual drawing itself resonate and mean so much more than "buy cigarettes". Editor: Yes. These images also tapped into a growing public fascination with natural history. But whose nature was being represented, and for whom? I would wager that many people being exposed to such images at the time would have never had a chance to see one of those creatures. Who are you trying to entice if the working classes don't even see these in the first place? It’s interesting to look into! Curator: You always ask such vital questions. I get drawn into the gentle grace of the work and the loveliness of its design. Editor: I guess we all react to art differently; hopefully this will encourage everyone to question some of those pretty images that were produced during this time, what lies beneath them and who they truly represented.