Kangaroo, from Quadrupeds series (N41) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This is a ‘Kangaroo’ from the Quadrupeds series (N41), a lithograph, made by Allen & Ginter for their Cigarettes. These cards were included in cigarette packs at a time when the company was expanding its market, and were a part of a broader cultural moment of colonial expansion and exoticism. The kangaroo, native to Australia, is presented here as a curiosity. Consider how the animal is depicted, isolated in its environment, neatly framed for consumption. What does it mean to take something from its land and put it in your pocket? It reflects a time when the world was being cataloged and collected, often without regard for the people and histories already present. The image invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in representation and the emotional distance created when living beings are reduced to commodities.