Tulip: A Declaration of Love, from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers (N75) for Duke brand cigarettes

Art Historical Context

This charming 1892 color lithograph, titled *Tulip: A Declaration of Love*, was created by Donaldson Brothers for the American Tobacco Company as part of its “Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers” series (N75) issued with Duke brand cigarettes. Measuring just 2¾ by 1½ inches, the card was designed to be tucked into cigarette packs, turning everyday tobacco purchases into opportunities for collecting and storytelling. Its vibrant commercial printing technique allowed intricate floral imagery and elegant female figures to reach a wide audience at a time when color lithography was revolutionizing mass advertising. The work draws on the Victorian fascination with floriography—the symbolic “language of flowers”—in which the tulip conveyed a heartfelt declaration of love. By pairing blooming tulips with graceful women, the card blended romantic sentiment with commercial appeal, encouraging consumers to gather the full series. Today it resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Burdick Collection, where such ephemeral prints are valued as vivid records of late-nineteenth-century popular culture and graphic design.

About the Artist

Donaldson Brothers|American Tobacco Company (American| ) · 1850 | –1870 |

American, New York|