Jaguar, from the Animals of the World series (T180), issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

This small card featuring a jaguar was produced by Abdul Cigarettes, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. It’s made through chromolithography, a printing process that uses multiple stone plates, each applying a different color, to create a vibrant image. What’s interesting here is the industrial context of this artwork. It wasn't made to hang in a gallery, but to be collected as part of a set included with cigarette packs. The choice of chromolithography speaks to this purpose. It allowed for mass production, turning images into collectibles. Consider the labor involved: from the artists who designed the image to the factory workers who printed and packaged these cards, this jaguar is the product of a complex industrial system. It challenges our notions of art, pushing us to consider how mass production and consumer culture intersect with creative expression.