Pitta, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This chromolithograph, "Pitta" from the "Birds of the Tropics" series, was created in 1889 by Allen & Ginter as a collectible card for their Richmond Straight Cut cigarettes. It depicts a colorful bird with a blue head, yellow breast, and red-brown back, standing on a sandy shore surrounded by foliage. The card features a vibrant, illustrative style with detailed brushwork and realistic rendering of the bird and its surroundings. This charming, small-format artwork is an example of 19th-century trade cards that were used to promote products like cigarettes. The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses this card, measuring just over 2.5 inches by 3 inches.