Bayadere, from National Dances (N225, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *Bayadere, from Dances (N225, Type 2)*, a charming commercial color lithograph produced by the Kinney Brothers Company in 1889 This petite card (just 2¾ × 1½ inches) captures the graceful form of a Bayadère traditional Indian temple dancer—frozen in an exotic pose amid swirling veils and rhythmic movement. Issued as part of the "National Dances" series it reflects the era's fascination with global cultures, packaged as collectible inserts in cigarette packs to entice smokers and spark a collecting frenzy. Chromolithography, the innovative printing technique used here, allowed for vivid, multi-layered colors on a mass scale, making high-quality art accessible to everyday consumers. Kinney Bros. excelled in this medium, turning promotional ephemera into miniature masterpieces that blended artistry with commerce. Part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how tobacco companies fueled popular culture through stunning visuals. Culturally, it embodies Orientalism, romanticizing Eastern dance traditions for Western audiences and celebrating women as symbols of allure and performance. A delightful glimpse into Victorian-era leisure, it invites us to appreciate the artistry hidden in everyday objects.

About the Artist

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011

**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...