Java Grosbeak, from the Song Birds of the World series (N23) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1890

This small chromolithograph of a Java Grosbeak comes from a series made for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, were a marketing tactic, but they also reflected the era's fascination with collecting and categorizing the world. Consider the context: colonialism fueled exploration and exploitation, bringing exotic specimens like this bird into the Western gaze. The Java Grosbeak, native to Indonesia, is presented here as a commodity, divorced from its natural habitat, and consumed through the act of collecting. These cards were overwhelmingly targeted to a white, male demographic, subtly reinforcing notions of dominance and control over the natural world and non-Western cultures. The vibrant colors and detailed rendering of the bird speak to a desire for knowledge and a romanticized view of nature, yet they also highlight the complex relationship between commerce, science, and colonialism. Isn't it interesting how a small piece of commercial ephemera can reveal so much about the values and power structures of its time?