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

This is "Wild Boar," a chromolithograph card from the "Wild Animals of the World" series, produced by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes in the late 19th century. These cards were inserted into cigarette packs as collectibles, and they reflect the late 19th-century fascination with natural history and global exploration. This boar, with its prominent tusks, becomes a symbol of exoticism, packaged for mass consumption. The image speaks volumes about the social conditions that shape artistic production, including the rise of consumer culture, mass media, and advertising. Cigarette companies like Allen & Ginter were major players in this new visual landscape. Understanding this artwork requires researching the history of advertising, consumerism, and the cultural fascination with the natural world in the late 19th century. It invites us to consider how art is shaped by its social and institutional context.