Shah of Persia, from World's Sovereigns series (N34) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century ephemera with *Shah of Persia* from Allen & Ginter's *'s Sovereigns* seriesN34), a diminutive commercial color lithograph in 1889. This tiny card, measuring just 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches, captures a regal portrait of the Shah—likely Naser al-D Shah Qajar of Persia—flanked by majestic lions, symbols of royal power and ferocity. Issued as inserts in cigarette packs by the innovative American tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, these cards were designed to entice smokers and spark collecting fervor among enthusiasts. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a breakthrough technique of the era, allowing mass production of vivid, multi-color images from stone plates. Allen & Ginter pioneered such cards, transforming everyday advertising into accessible art that educated the public on global leaders. Part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how commercial prints bridged popular culture and diplomacy, offering Victorian Americans a glimpse into exotic empires. Today, as museum ephemera, it reminds us of lithography's role in democratizing imagery, blending portraiture with imperial iconography in a format once discarded but now treasured for its historical snapshot.

About the Artist

Allen & Ginter

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...