Purple Gallinule, from the Game Birds series (N13) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

This is "Purple Gallinule" from the Game Birds series by Allen & Ginter, a cigarette card, a product of the late 19th century's surge in consumer culture. These cards, collected and traded, offer a glimpse into the era's values and interests. The "Game Birds" series reflects a fascination with the natural world, filtered through a lens of leisure and sport. But beyond the surface, consider how the act of collecting itself—categorizing, owning, and displaying—mirrors a broader societal impulse to classify and control, not only nature, but also people. Think about the concept of 'game' – who gets to play, who is hunted? How does this relate to the social hierarchies of the time? This image, seemingly innocent, is a reminder of the complex ways in which culture shapes our understanding of the world and our place within it.