Sacred Ibis, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This is Sacred Ibis, a chromolithograph trading card from the Birds of the Tropics series, by Allen & Ginter. The composition strikes you immediately, split into three distinct panels each framed with a decorative pink border. The central panel dominates, featuring a large Ibis set against a backdrop of ancient Egyptian architecture. Notice how the bird's stark black and white plumage creates a striking contrast, drawing the eye. To either side, flanking landscapes offer exotic glimpses of buildings and palm trees, transporting the viewer to distant lands. The overall design reveals an interest in capturing the exoticism of tropical locales for commercial appeal. The structure of the card, with its clear divisions and careful balance of text and image, speaks to the late 19th-century fascination with categorizing and presenting the world in an easily digestible format, not unlike a visual encyclopedia entry. The Ibis itself becomes a signifier, embodying the allure and mystery of faraway lands. The formal qualities of this chromolithograph serve not only to present information but also to construct a particular vision of the world, one framed by the desires and cultural values of its time.