Grizzly Bear, from the Quadrupeds series (N21) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *Grizzly Bear* from Allen & Ginter's Quadeds series (N21 a commercial color lithograph produced in 1890. This pocket-sized gem (just 1 1/2 x 2 3/4 inches) was crafted by the lithographic firm Lindner, Eddy & Claus for the pioneering American tobacco company Allen & Ginter. Inserted into cigarette packs, these cards everyday smokes into collectibles, sparking a craze for animal-themed series that educated and entertained smokers with vivid depictions of wildlife like this majestic grizzly. Chromolithography, the era's cutting-edge printing technique, brought the bear's fur, claws, and fierce gaze to life in bold, multi-layered colors—a marvel of industrial artistry that made high-quality images affordable and mass-producible. Part of the broader ephemera boom, these prints bridged commercial promotion and popular culture, showcasing quadrupeds from around the globe to appeal to a growing fascination with natural history amid America's Gilded Age expansion. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this tiny powerhouse highlights how everyday objects captured the imagination, blending commerce, science, and art. A reminder that even the smallest artifacts can roar with historical significance!

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|Lindner, Eddy & Claus

Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...