Aurora, Goddess of the Dawn, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Behold *Aurora, Goddess of Dawn*, a delicate chromolithograph from the 9 "Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans" series (N188), produced by the Ketterlinus Lithography Company for William S. Kimball & Company, a prominent tobacco firm. Measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, this tiny print was designed as ephemera—likely a collectible insert for cigarette packs—capturing the ethereal beauty of Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn (known as Eos to the Greeks), personifying the rosy-fingered light of morning. Chromolithography, a revolutionary color printing technique of the era, allowed for vibrant, mass-produced images that brought classical mythology to everyday Americans. Ketterlinus, a leading Philadelphia lithographer, excelled in such commercial art, layering up to 20 colors via stone-based transfers for stunning realism on a budget. These cards bridged high art and popular culture, educating collectors on ancient lore while promoting Kimball's products amid the Gilded Age's advertising boom. Today, housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how 19th-century commerce democratized mythology, turning pocket-sized prints into cherished keepsakes that sparked wonder in factories, homes, and museums alike.

About the Artist

Ketterlinus Lithography Company|William S. Kimball & Company ( |American) · |1850 – |1950

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania