Russian Dancer, from the Dancing Women series (N186) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This small print of a “Russian Dancer” was mass-produced by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co. The company wasn’t dedicated to art; they were a cigarette manufacturer. These cards were churned out in huge numbers, slipped into packs as a collectable premium. The chromolithographic process allowed for inexpensive color printing. While each sheet still required skilled labor, the division of tasks would have been intense: one person applying a single color at a time. The image has a flat, graphic quality, lacking the finesse of fine art printmaking. But that's not the point here. The card wasn't meant to be lingered over, but to be glanced at, traded, and consumed as part of a larger cycle of advertising and collecting. Considering this context, the image speaks volumes about the industrialization of leisure and the commodification of culture at the turn of the century. By recognizing the conditions of its making, we appreciate how even the humblest objects can reflect broader social and economic forces.