Egyptian, Girl of Cairo, from Types of Nationalities (N240) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Egyptian, Girl of Cairo*, a charming commercial color lithograph from the *Types of Nationalities* series (N240), issued by the Kinney Brothers Company in 1890 This petite print, measuring just 6 7/8 × 1 7/16 inches when unfolded, captures the profile of a young woman in traditional attire, evoking the allure of Cairo during an era of Western fascination with Egypt's ancient mysteries and modern life. Part of a popular set of trading cards inserted into tobacco products, it reflects how everyday commerce fueled collecting hobbies among Americans. Produced via chromolithography—a cutting-edge technique that layered vibrant colors from multiple lithographic stones—the card exemplifies the fusion of industrial printing innovation and artistic flair. Kinney Brothers, like other tobacco firms, used these ephemera to boost brand loyalty, turning smokers into avid collectors. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it highlights the democratizing power of printmaking, making "exotic" portraits accessible to the masses. Culturally, this piece embodies late Victorian Orientalism, romanticizing global "types" amid imperialism and world's fairs. Its delicate profile invites reflection on how such images shaped perceptions of women and distant lands, blending commerce, curiosity, and subtle stereotypes in a single, foldable treasure.

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...