Senegal Antelope, from the Wild Animals of the World series (N25) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

"Senegal Antelope" is a chromolithograph card from the "Wild Animals of the World" series, created by Allen & Ginter for their cigarettes. These cards, popular in the late 19th century, reflect a period of intense global exploration and colonial expansion. The image of the antelope, rendered with a mix of scientific curiosity and exoticism, speaks to the era’s fascination with the natural world, even as it commodifies and reduces it to a collectible item. These images circulated within a society grappling with its relationship to distant lands and their inhabitants. They served as a form of popular education but were also deeply embedded in the power dynamics of colonialism. Consider how these images contributed to constructing a particular view of the world, one where animals and their habitats are presented as both accessible and subject to human dominion. It’s hard not to wonder about the emotional impact of this kind of representation, where nature is simultaneously celebrated and possessed.