Red Deer, from the Animals of the World series (T180), issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

Editor: So, this little gem is called "Red Deer," part of the "Animals of the World" series, from 1881, created by Abdul Cigarettes. It's a print, a watercolor drawing really. There's something almost wistful about it, a quiet moment captured. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: You know, I find it incredibly charming, this pocket-sized portal to a late 19th-century idea of the natural world. And think about it, it's an advert! It has that illustrative, almost storybook quality to it, but distilled through a very commercial lens. Look at how deliberately the artist depicts the musculature, and the impressive antlers. What’s being *sold* here, besides cigarettes? Editor: Hmm, power maybe? Or a sense of connection to something wild and untamed, in a world that was rapidly industrializing? Curator: Precisely! And look closer at those watercolor washes, a deliberate choice to evoke softness and…dare I say, purity? Irony drips from the edges. Tell me, does the almost melancholic stance of the deer strike you at all? Editor: Now that you mention it, yeah! It's like it's burdened, or maybe just very, very tired. Like, "Oh, another photoshoot for cigarettes?" Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe a subtle commentary on man’s impact on nature, slipped in under the guise of cheerful marketing? Doubtful, probably. But who’s to say an artist can’t have subversive little daydreams whilst painting an ad? Editor: I love that idea, a secret message hidden in plain sight! Even if it was unintentional, it adds a whole new layer to this little drawing. Curator: Indeed! Art, even commercial art, often contains multitudes, wouldn’t you agree? It mirrors ourselves, doesn’t it, more than just the subject matter.