Crève-Cœur Hen, from the Prize and Game Chickens series (N20) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1891

This is a chromolithograph trade card of a Crève-Cœur Hen, created by Allen & Ginter as part of their "Prize and Game Chickens" series. Immediately striking is the hen's peculiar plumage, rendered in meticulous detail with a textural complexity that belies the card's small scale. The artist has paid considerable attention to the play of light across the hen’s feathers, creating a sense of depth and volume. The composition balances the animal's form against a subtle backdrop of barn and foliage, rooting it in its natural habitat. The use of color, too, is noteworthy, as muted earthy tones are punctuated by the small bright red flower on the hen’s head, drawing the viewer's eye. These trade cards were not merely advertisements but miniature works of art. The formal choices reflect a broader cultural interest in natural history and the classification of species. Allen & Ginter's focus on the Crève-Cœur Hen invites us to consider how these images participated in constructing and disseminating knowledge about the natural world.