Anne Bonny, Firing Upon the Crew, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1886 - 1891

This lithograph of Anne Bonny firing upon her crew was created by Allen & Ginter for a series of cigarette cards. The dominant image here is Anne Bonny herself, a female pirate, pistol in hand. The pistol, historically a symbol of power and autonomy, takes on an additional layer of meaning when wielded by a woman in a traditionally male-dominated profession. Bonny's act of firing upon her crew can be connected to recurring motifs of rebellion, women's rage, and resistance that emerge throughout history. Consider Medea, the Greek sorceress, who exacted a terrible revenge for the betrayal of Jason by murdering their children. Medea is a potent symbol of female anger and the destructive potential of those who are marginalized. This archetype reappears in various forms throughout history, reflecting deep-seated cultural anxieties about female power and its consequences. These symbols reveal a cyclical progression: rebellion, punishment, and then a re-emergence in new forms. The image of Anne Bonny, pistol in hand, becomes another chapter in this ever-evolving narrative.