European Otter, from the Animals of the World series (T180), issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

This chromolithograph of a European Otter is from the "Animals of the World" series, issued by Abdul Cigarettes around the turn of the century. The image reflects a period of increasing industrialization and global trade, where exotic wildlife became a source of both fascination and commodification. Consider the act of branding cigarettes with images of animals. It speaks volumes about our relationship with the natural world, framing it as something to be consumed, collected, and ultimately, controlled. The otter, caught mid-hunt with a fish in its mouth, becomes a symbol of both wildness and domestication, mirroring the complex dynamics of colonialism and the exploitation of resources. The emotional resonance of this image lies in its depiction of the animal in its natural habitat, yet divorced from it. It highlights the tension between our desire to connect with nature and our impulse to dominate it. The "Animals of the World" series is at once educational and deeply implicated in the power structures of its time.