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

This is a chromolithograph, made by Allen & Ginter for their series of cigarette cards, sometime in the late nineteenth century. Chromolithography was an innovative printing technique, allowing for the mass production of colorful images like this. The card, from the Fish from American Waters series, portrays a Blackfish, above a scene of a woman cooking the same fish. Notice how the graphic clarity of the fish is paired with the more loosely rendered image of the cook. Lithography allowed for a wide range of marks, but here it is deployed in a crisp, straightforward way, designed to catch the eye of consumers. Cigarette cards like this were essentially advertisements, little collectible artworks slipped into packs of smokes to stiffen the packaging, and promote the brand. So, what does it mean to connect the natural world to the pleasures of tobacco? The card gives us a glimpse into the culture of the time, blurring the lines between commerce, art, and everyday life.