Charles Parnell, Member of Parliament, Ireland, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-2) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 × 4 1/4 in. (7 × 10.8 cm) Sheet (folded): 2 3/4 × 1 7/16 in. (7 × 3.6 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.206.126.78
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 19th-century ephemera with this vibrant commercial color lithograph from W. Duke, Sons & Co., featuring Charles Parnell, the influential Irish Member of Parliament Titled *Charles Parnell, Member Parliament, Ireland, from Rulers, Flags, Coats of Arms series (N126-2)*, this petite print (2 3/4 × 4 1/4 in.) captures Parnell alongside symbolic flags and coats of arms, evoking national pride and political fervor. Produced in 1888, it was designed as a collectible trading card, often folded and tucked into cigarette packs to entice smokers and educate the public on global leaders and heraldry. Charles Stewart Parnell (1846–1891) was a towering figure in Irish nationalism, leading the push for Home Rule within the British Parliament during a turbulent era of land reform and independence struggles. Duke's series reflected the era's fascination with empire, sovereignty, and identity, distributing these cards widely to promote their tobacco products—a clever marketing ploy that turned everyday consumers into armchair historians. Masterfully executed in chromolithography, the technique allowed for bold, affordable color reproduction, making high-impact portraits accessible beyond elite art circles. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights the cultural role of commercial prints in shaping public memory and collecting culture. A tiny window into Victorian politics and print innovation!
About the Artist
W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 1870–1920
**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...