Bandmaster, from the Occupations for Women series (N166) for Old Judge and Dogs Head Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Bandmaster*, a charming chromolithograph from Goodwin & Company's *Occupations for Women* (N166), issued in 1887 to promote Old Judge and Dogs Head Cigarettes. This tiny gem, measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 1/2 inches, captures a poised woman in profile, baton in hand, embodying the role of a bandmaster conductor leading an orchestra. Produced as collectible inserts in cigarette packs, these cards were wildly popular, sparking a trading craze among Americans and offering glimpses into aspirational careers. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a breakthrough in commercial printing, allowing vivid colors and fine details on mass-produced paper at low cost. Goodwin & Company, a leading New York lithographers, excelled in this technique, creating over 1,000 designs in the series that highlighted women in professions from typists to athletes. In 1887, such imagery challenged Victorian gender norms, promoting female empowerment amid growing suffrage movements. Part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera piece reveals how everyday objects preserved cultural snapshots. It invites us to ponder: in an era of expanding opportunities, who might this bandmaster have inspired?

About the Artist

Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950

**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...