Cock-of-the-Rock, from the Birds of the Tropics series (N5) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

This small lithograph of a Cock-of-the-Rock comes from a series made by Allen & Ginter for cigarette cards. The intense red of the bird immediately grabs your attention, set against a muted background of blues and greens. Note how the artist used the texture of the lithographic process to mimic the bird’s feathers, giving it a sense of depth and vibrancy within the small dimensions of the card. The formal qualities of this artwork are as compelling as the subject matter itself. There is a tension between the graphic representation and the naturalistic depiction. The image functions as both an advertisement and an aesthetic object. Its composition invites us to consider the relationship between commerce, art, and the exotic allure of the natural world. In its compact form, the artwork becomes a study in how images mediate our understanding of the world, reflecting the era's fascination with categorizing and consuming nature.