Porgy, from Fish from American Waters series (N39) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This is "Porgy, from Fish from American Waters series (N39) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes," a chromolithograph card. The card is split into two registers, one with the fish and one with the fishing boat. The composition is striking. The rigid, geometric frame tightly encloses organic forms. The fish is centered in the top half of the frame, its scales rendered with meticulous detail. The artist has created a semiotic tension, contrasting industrial production, represented by the cigarette card format, with elements of nature. The image’s appeal lies in its structural clarity, a visual code that both organizes and confines its subject. This structure speaks to the desire to classify and commodify nature inherent in the late 19th century. The division of the card into distinct registers creates a visual hierarchy, suggesting a relationship between the natural world and human intervention. The formal qualities of the card, with its sharp lines and structured composition, reflect a broader cultural impulse to categorize and control.