Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, from the Great Generals series (N15) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with this petite commercial color lithograph,Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, the Great Generals series (N15)*, produced in 1888 by Allen & Ginter in collaboration with George S. Harris & Sons. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, this trading card was tucked into packs of Allen & Ginter cigarettes, everyday smokes into collectible treasures. It honors Mikhail Dmitrievichobelev, a celebrated Russian general known for his daring leadership, immortalizing him amid a pantheon of military heroes. Chromolithography, the era's cutting-edge printing technique, brought Skobelev to life with bold, vivid colors on a tiny scale—perfect for mass appeal during the Gilded Age's boom in consumer culture. These cards weren't mere gimmicks; they fueled a collecting craze, blending patriotism, heroism, and commerce while glorifying figures like generals who shaped empires. Today, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this ephemera gem reveals how art permeated popular life, bridging high culture and everyday indulgence. A snapshot of Victorian-era fandom, it reminds us how small prints captured big ambitions.

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter|George S. Harris & Sons

Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...