Lillian Grubb, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century advertising with *Lillian Grubb, the Actresses series (203)*, a petite commercial color lithograph produced William S. Kimball & in 1889. This tiny card, measuring just 2 5/8 × 1 3/8 inches, captures the poised portrait of actress Lillian Grubb one of many celebrated performers featured in Kimball's popular tobacco insert series. These cards were tucked into cigarette packs as collectibles, blending commerce with the allure of theater stardom during America's Gilded Age. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized mass printing with its layered colors, allowing vivid, affordable reproductions that mimicked fine art. Issued by Kimball, a Rochester-based tobacco firm, the N203 Actresses series reflected the era's booming celebrity culture, where women like Grubb shone on vaudeville and Broadway stages, embodying glamour and independence. As ephemera—everyday printed matter now treasured—these cards offer a snapshot of commercial artistry and social history. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, this piece from the Jefferson R. Burdick Collection highlights how advertising fueled public fascination with performers, preserving fleeting fame in enduring color. A delightful glimpse into Victorian-era pop culture!

About the Artist

William S. Kimball & Company · 1850–1950

**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...