Fama, Goddess of Fame, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Behold *Fama, Goddess of Fame*, a vibrant commercial color lithograph from1889, part of *Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans* seriesN188) issued by. S. Kimball &. Produced by the Ketterlinus Lithography Company, this petite print (just 2¾ × 1½ inches) captures the Roman goddess Fama, often symbolized by her trumpet—a musical instrument heralding renown across the ancient world. Surrounded by motifs of women and classical divinity, it reflects the era's fascination with Greco-Roman mythology, blending education with everyday allure. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized 19th-century printing by enabling vivid, multi-color reproductions at scale, perfect for mass-market ephemera like trade cards tucked into cigarette packs. These tiny treasures were collectibles, sparking public interest in history and art amid America's Gilded Age tobacco boom. Kimball's series popularized such imagery, making mythology accessible to ordinary folk. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera gem highlights how commerce intertwined with culture, turning a goddess's fame into fleeting, colorful fame of its own.

About the Artist

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

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania