Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

This charming *Portrait of Woman* from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's Novelties series (228, Type 2), produced in 1889, the vibrant world of late 19th American advertising ephemera. At just 1 9/16 inches in, this round commercial color lithograph was likely tucked into cigarette packages as a collectible insert, enticing smokers—especially young men—with its petite allure. Kinney Bros., a prominent tobacco firm, issued dozens of such series to boost brand loyalty, turning everyday products into treasure hunts for enthusiasts. Crafted via chromolithography—a revolutionary printing technique that allowed mass production of vivid, multi-hued images on a budget—this tiny portrait captures the era's fascination with feminine beauty. The medium's bold colors and fine details highlight the artistry in commercial design, blending portraiture traditions with marketing savvy. Women were frequent subjects in these cards, reflecting Victorian ideals of elegance while subtly promoting consumer culture. Preserved in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece offers a window into Gilded Age novelty collecting, where ephemera like these became prized artifacts documenting social history and the dawn of modern advertising.

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...