Rhea, from Birds of the Tropics series (N38) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Behold the majestic rhea, a flightless giant of South America's pampas, captured in vivid detail on this petite chromolithograph from 1889. Titled *Rhea, from Birds the Tropics series (38)*, this commercial color lithograph measures just 2 7/8 x 3 1/4 inches, designed as an alluring insert for Allen & G cigarette packs. Produced by the skilled lithographers George S. & Sons, it showcases the rhea's ostrich-like form against a tropical backdrop, its feathers rendered in rich hues that pop with the precision of chromolithography—a revolutionary printing technique blending multiple stone plates for mass-produced color vibrancy. In the late 19th century, tobacco companies like Allen & Ginter pioneered these trade cards as clever marketing ploys, enticing smokers (and collectors) with educational series on exotic birds, athletes, and more. Issued during a boom in natural history fascination, spurred by explorers and Darwin's influence, the *Birds of the Tropics* set turned everyday ephemera into pocket-sized wonders, blending commerce with curiosity. Today, this card resides in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, a treasure trove of American print ephemera. It highlights how humble advertising artifacts evolved into cultural artifacts, preserving Victorian-era artistry and our enduring awe for the avian world.

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|George S. Harris & Sons

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...