Clio, Muse of History, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Step into the enchanting world of classical mythology with *Clio, Muse of*, a petite gem from the 1889 *Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans* series (N188), issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. This color lithograph, produced by the skilled Ketterlinus Lith Company, captures Clio—Greek Muse of history and heroic epic—adorned in flowing robes, scroll in hand, symbolizing the recording of human deeds. At just 2¾ × 1½ inches, its diminutive scale belies its vivid charm, designed for everyday encounter. Printed in the bustling era of Gilded Age advertising, this ephemera exemplifies chromolithography's triumph: layering vibrant colors through multiple stones for affordable, eye-catching reproductions. Wm. S. Kimball & Co., a tobacco firm, distributed these as promotional inserts, blending high art with consumer culture and introducing ancient goddesses to American households. Such cards fueled collecting fever, preserving mythology amid industrialization. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to the Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, *Clio* highlights ephemera's artistic merit. It reminds us how commerce democratized classical lore, inviting all to ponder history's muse in a single, colorful glance.

About the Artist

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

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania