Plantation, from National Dances (N225, Type 1) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American advertising with *Plantation, from National Dances (N225, Type 1)*, a diminutive yet dazzling commercial color lithograph produced by the Kinney Brothers Company in 1889 Issued as part of a popular series of cigarette cards, this tiny print (just 2¾ × 1½ inches) captures the profile of a female dancer, evoking the rhythmic energy of national folk dances. These collectible cards were tucked into tobacco packs to entice smokers, blending artistry with clever marketing during the Gilded Age. Chromolithography, the medium's hallmark technique, allowed for bold, multi-hued reproductions that mimicked fine paintings at mass scale—a technological marvel of the era that democratized color printing. Kinney Bros.' series celebrated dances from around the world (or at least their American interpretations), with "Plantation" likely nodding to Southern U.S. traditions tied to plantation life, reflecting the era's fascination with cultural performances amid minstrel shows and emerging ragtime influences. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection—a treasure trove of ephemera gifted by the pioneering collector—this card highlights how everyday commerce fueled artistic innovation and preserved slices of popular culture. A window into Victorian leisure, it reminds us how even a cigarette insert could sparkle with historical flair.

About the Artist

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011

**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...