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

This "Hippopotamus" card was made as part of a series called “Wild Animals of the World” by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. Using a printing process called chromolithography, it allowed for the mass production of images in vibrant colors. You see here the brown, pink, and white of the hippopotamus’ skin and teeth, along with a yellow and green jungle setting. This technique democratized image-making, taking it from the hands of individual artists to factory floors, as the cards were made to be collected and traded. The hippo itself would have been exotic and unfamiliar to many people at the time. Images like these fueled both curiosity and a sense of control over the natural world, neatly packaged with consumer goods. The mass production of cards like this, included with cigarettes, reflects the growth of industrial capitalism, where the mass production of goods, from cigarettes to colorful cards, was becoming commonplace. Paying attention to these materials, making and context of the "Hippopotamus" card allows us to challenge the conventional hierarchy between "fine art" and commercial design.