Horace Greeley, from the series Great Americans (N76) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with this petite commercial color lithograph featuring Horace Greeley, part of the "Great Americans (N76)" produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1888. Greeley, the influential newspaper editor and presidential candidate famously known for urging "Go West, young," is portrayed in a dignified portrait style, capturing his stature as a key figure in journalism and politics during the Civil War era and westward expansion. These tiny cards, measuring just 2¾ × 1½ inches, were innovative inserts in Duke cigarette packs, designed to boost brand loyalty through collectible series. Color lithography, a breakthrough printing technique, allowed for vivid, mass-produced images that made ephemera like this both affordable and eye-catching, transforming everyday tobacco products into cultural touchstones. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this print highlights the intersection of commerce and commemoration. It offers a fascinating glimpse into Gilded Age marketing, where honoring national heroes like Greeley promoted consumerism while preserving slices of history in your pocket.

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...