Florence St. John as "The Pansy," from the series Fancy Dress Ball Costumes (N73) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the glittering world of late Victorian theater with this charming chromolithograph from 1889, featuring actress Florence St. John "The Pansy" the Fancy Dress Ball Costumes series (N73 Produced by W. Duke Sons & Co. in collaboration with Knapp & Company, this tiny commercial color lithograph—measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches—was a promotional insert for Duke brand cigarettes. Capturing St. John in elaborate floral costume, it evokes the era's lavish fancy dress balls, where theater stars dazzled in whimsical disguises inspired by flowers, history, and fantasy. Chromolithography, a pioneering technique of the time, allowed for vibrant, mass-produced color printing on a budget, making these ephemera accessible collectibles. Tobacco companies like Duke flooded the market with such cards to entice smokers and spark a collecting frenzy among enthusiasts of all ages. This piece highlights the cultural stardom of actresses like St. John, who graced London's music halls, blending celebrity endorsement with advertising savvy. Preserved in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it offers a window into Gilded Age consumerism and performance culture—a delightful snapshot of how everyday indulgences packaged high-society glamour.

About the Artist

W. Duke, Sons & Co.|Knapp & Company · 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...