He Stoops to Conquer, from the Jokes series (N87) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

This trade card, part of the "Jokes" series for Duke brand cigarettes, features a young boy in a colonial-era costume. Titled "He stoops to conquer," the image uses a well-known idiom to depict the boy in the act of playing marbles. The card exemplifies the popular genre of trade cards, used by companies like W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise their products. Created in 1890, the card is a fine example of late 19th century printmaking. These cards, often featuring humorous or sentimental scenes, were widely collected and enjoyed by the public.