Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 1) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This small portrait of a woman, part of the Novelties series, was issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It is a chromolithograph, a color printing technique popular in the late 19th century. The image is printed on thin paper, meticulously adhered to a circular card. The texture of the paper and the slight imperfections in the printing process give the portrait a soft, almost dreamlike quality. Chromolithography was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process involving multiple stones, each applying a different color. The final image is a composite, built up layer by layer. These cards were originally included in cigarette packs as collectibles, reflecting the rise of consumer culture and mass production. The Kinney Brothers, like other tobacco companies, used these cards as a marketing tool, turning art into a vehicle for commerce. By examining the materials and production of this portrait, we gain insight into the social and economic context of its creation, blurring the lines between art, advertising, and everyday life.