A Short History: General Robert E. Lee, from the Histories of Generals series (N114) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

Art Historical Context

In the late 19th century, American tobacco companies like W., Sons & Co. blended history with marketing through collectible cards inserted into their products. This 1888 commercial color lithograph, *A Short History: General E. Lee*, is a prime example from the *Hist of Generals* seriesN114), promoting "Honest Long Cut Smoking Chewing Tobacco." Produced by Knapp & Company for Duke, the petite card (just 4 3/16 × 2 1/2 inches) features portrait of the famed Confederate general amid symbols of military valor—cannons, flags, and evocations of leadership—designed to captivate smokers and collectors alike. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized commercial printing by allowing vibrant, multi-color images to be mass-produced affordably, making historical heroes accessible in everyday packaging. Issued over two decades after the Civil War, these ephemera reflect a cultural fascination with reconciling national memory through revered figures like Lee, transforming battlefield legends into advertising icons. Today, preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this unassuming print offers a window into Gilded Age commerce and nostalgia. Visit the Drawings and Prints department to see how art and advertising intertwined to shape American identity.

About the Artist

Knapp & Company|W. Duke, Sons & Co. (American|American) · |1870 – |1920

American, New York|New York and Durham, N.C.