American Partridge, from the Game Birds series (N40) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888 - 1890

This is a promotional card for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, part of the Game Birds series. The image presents an American partridge, but surrounding it is a host of symbols laden with meaning. Look at the hunting accoutrements, the scythe—ancient symbols associated with the hunt, and the dance of life and death. The scythe, most famously wielded by the Grim Reaper, transcends its association with death; it's about the cyclical nature of existence and the harvest, a common motif in the art of the Middle Ages. Consider, too, the eggs in the nest below, which carry the promise of new life, echoing ancient fertility symbols seen in Minoan art. The partridge itself, depicted both alive and as the hunter's prize, creates an interesting juxtaposition. It reveals our complex relationship with nature, and this pursuit, passed down through time, is a potent expression of humankind’s dominance over the natural world. We are viscerally and subconsciously reminded of the circle of life that constantly resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings through time.