Business is Dull but He Can't Kick, from the Jokes series (N87) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

This small chromolithograph was made around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their brand of cigarettes. A color print made using lithography involves a fascinating process of layering inks. The image is drawn on a stone or metal plate, treated so that the ink adheres only to the design, and then transferred to paper. The flatness of the artwork emphasizes the industrial methods used in its production. The solid blocks of color and simplified forms suggest a separation from unique handcraft. The card was one of many, churned out to be included in cigarette packs, enticing customers with a small moment of humor while building brand loyalty. The joke itself, playing on the image of a disabled person unable to work, reflects the era’s social attitudes. These cards exemplify how image production became integral to mass marketing. Even seemingly disposable objects like these reveal much about the intertwined histories of art, labor, and consumerism.