Gnu, from the Quadrupeds series (N21) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

Editor: Here we have “Gnu, from the Quadrupeds series (N21) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes,” made around 1890, a colour print and drawing made with coloured pencils. The texture seems almost pixelated with tiny, intentional dots. I am immediately drawn to the strange mix of delicacy and power in this animal's posture. What strikes you? Curator: This piece exemplifies a fascinating interplay of form and materiality. Note the curious tension between the linearity of the animal's legs and the volumetric mass of its torso. Observe how the artist employs coloured pencil to construct both a graphic image and a depiction that flirts with naturalistic shading. Are we dealing with representation, or something else? Editor: Something else, definitely! I feel that the gnu is more like a collection of shapes. Its essence, not a photographic likeness. What does that say about its meaning? Curator: The subject here is not, strictly speaking, the gnu itself, but rather the arrangement of colour and form intended to conjure the *idea* of a gnu. The hazy background disrupts depth. Do you find that foreground and background carry equal visual weight? Editor: I do. The composition seems purposefully flattened, a quality reminiscent of Ukiyo-e prints. So, the flatness intensifies the sense of the gnu being an art object rather than a representation of a real one. Curator: Precisely. The artist isn't trying to trick the eye, but rather engage the mind through a structured visual experience. And for advertising. Editor: That's fascinating. I see how focusing on those aspects deepens my appreciation of its aesthetic impact. Curator: Indeed. It prompts a reassessment of our viewing habits, doesn't it?