American Wild Cat, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Curator: Here we have "American Wild Cat, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes," dating back to 1888. The piece resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a lithograph, employing colored pencil techniques, offering a very engaging figuration. Editor: Oh, my goodness! Talk about wide-eyed! This cat looks like it just saw a ghost or maybe its own reflection. The composition, the circularity of the head framed by those stylized ferns—it’s a bit wild itself! Curator: Indeed. Structurally, observe how the artist juxtaposes the rather fierce expression with almost decorative floral elements. The coloration, while vibrant, is applied with a noticeable flatness, minimizing depth. It calls into question notions of verisimilitude, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely! Verisimilitude is taking a holiday. It’s more like a mood, an attitude, if you will, of wildness, rather than a precise representation. Those leaves, they're almost playful, like a stage set for this bewildered wild cat. What strikes me is this tension between domestication—being part of a cigarette card set—and untamed nature. Curator: An astute observation. Consider the historical context—the late 19th century, a time of burgeoning industrialization, fascination with natural history, and burgeoning consumer culture. The lithograph functions as both collectible item and a miniature advertisement. The wild cat then becomes commodified, exoticized… Editor: And rendered slightly ridiculous, let's be honest! It’s almost as if the cat itself is in on the joke, staring back at us, the consumers, with a mixture of alarm and amusement. I bet folks collected these just for the sheer unexpectedness. I'm imagining that "What the heck is that!?" moment of discovery, you know? Curator: A valid, though informal reading! It brings to the fore the very real subjective encounter. While the artist may have intended… (clears throat) the overall impact transcends mere representational value. It invites consideration of our human relationship with the animal kingdom, filtered through the lens of popular media. Editor: Precisely! So, looking at this bright-eyed feline, it feels like a funny, strangely compelling invitation to mull over how we turn the wild into, well, into a card. You can carry it in your pocket. Curator: I concur that the piece remains provocative to contemporary analysis. Its seemingly simple facade masks layers of social and artistic meaning ripe for decoding. Editor: In other words, it's not just a pretty cat face.