Woman wearing pink ribbon in hair, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros.

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Woman wearing pink ribbon in hair*, a charming chromolithograph from Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company's Novelties series (N, Type 2), issued in 1889. This petite, round card—measuring just 1 9/16 inches across—was tucked into cigarette packs as a collectible novelty, enticing smokers and enthusiasts alike to amass sets. Produced by the innovative Kinney Bros., these cards captured the era's fascination with elegant femininity, showcasing a stylish woman's profile adorned with a delicate pink ribbon, evoking the refined beauty ideals of Victorian America. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized commercial printing by layering vibrant colors through multiple lithographic stones, enabling mass production of eye-catching images at low cost. As ephemera—short-lived printed treasures—these cards bridged art and commerce, transforming everyday tobacco products into coveted keepsakes. Part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights the cultural boom of trading cards, which fostered collecting hobbies and reflected societal tastes in fashion and portraiture. Though tiny, it whispers of a time when such novelties sparked joy and competition among collectors, preserving a snapshot of Gilded Age glamour. (198 words)

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...