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

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with this charming *Portrait of a Woman* from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's Novelties series (N, Type 2), in 1889. Issued as collectible inserts in cigarette packs these tiny chromolithographs—measuring just 1 9/16 inches in diameter—were part of a booming trend in tobacco ephemera. Kinney Bros., a prominent American tobacco firm, capitalized on the era's collecting craze, enticing smokers with colorful cards featuring portraits of women, akin to modern trading cards. Crafted via commercial color lithography, a revolutionary technique that layered vibrant hues through multiple stone plates, this print exemplifies mass-produced artistry at its finest. The medium allowed for striking details and vivid tones on a miniature scale, making these cards both affordable souvenirs and status symbols among collectors. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, it preserves a slice of Gilded Age commerce. Culturally, such cards reflected Victorian ideals of feminine beauty and leisure, blending portraiture with promotion. They fueled a passionate hobby that anticipated today's memorabilia markets, offering a glimpse into how everyday consumerism sparked artistic delight.

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...