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

Art Historical Context

Step into the lively world of 19th-century advertising with *Saraband, from Nationalances (N225, Type 1)*, a charming commercial color lithograph issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1889. This petite print (just 2 3/4 × 1 1/2 inches) captures the graceful elegance of the saraband, a slow, stately Baroque dance with roots in Spanish folk traditions that spread across Europe. Part of a popular series celebrating global dances, it features women in flowing costumes mid-movement, evoking the cultural fascination with international folk traditions during America's Gilded Age. Chromolithography, the era's cutting-edge technique, allowed for vibrant, mass-produced color images on thin paper stock, making these tobacco trade cards affordable collectibles tucked into cigarette packs. Kinney Bros., a leading tobacco firm, used such ephemera to entice customers, blending artistry with commerce in a time when collecting cards was a national pastime—much like trading cards today. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how everyday objects preserved cultural snapshots. Its enduring appeal lies in revealing Victorian-era tastes: romanticized dancers embodying exotic allure and national pride. A delightful window into promotional print culture!

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...