Marten, from the Quadrupeds series (N21) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This chromolithograph of a marten was created by Allen & Ginter, a 19th-century American tobacco company, as part of a series of collectible cards included in cigarette packs. These cards, popular from the 1870s through the 1910s, served as a marketing strategy to stiffen cigarette packs and promote brand loyalty. The "Quadrupeds" series, to which this marten belongs, reflects a broader cultural fascination with natural history and the expansion of scientific knowledge during this period. The company sought to educate consumers while also associating their product with images of refinement and leisure. The marten, rendered in vivid color, is depicted in a naturalistic pose. This card, like others in the series, is a window into the complex interplay between commerce, education, and visual culture in the late 19th century. To fully understand the significance of these cards, one might explore trade catalogs, advertising ephemera, and business records. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context.