Card 33, Papilio Podalirius, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

Curator: Take a look at this captivating piece titled "Card 33, Papilio Podalirius, from the Butterflies series (N183)", created in 1888 by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. Currently it resides here with us at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Oh, it has such an ethereal quality, doesn't it? That woman's pose is demure, and then BAM, butterfly wings! It feels like a whispered secret, a fleeting moment. What kind of materials are we talking about here? Curator: This work exists as a print; it's a lithograph actually. So picture mass production – part of a larger series used as collectible cards. These would have been promotional items included in packs of cigarettes, really putting art in people's pockets, quite literally! Editor: Exactly! Forget those stuffy gallery walls; art as part of the daily grind! But that's interesting – even in mass production, you can see elements reminiscent of drawing with delicate lines around the figures and detailed markings on the wings. It's that contrast that catches the eye. It seems contradictory at first. Almost high art, reduced and commercialized. What strikes you most about its construction? Curator: The way the woman almost blends into the background, then that stunning butterfly wing emerges, partly obscuring her and suggesting metamorphosis and beauty—something transformative that has been with us all along, not just 'applied.' And yes, the artistry elevated by these humble origins. What do you find most compelling, considering the artist’s aim? Editor: Thinking about production and consumption, these cards normalized an association: smoking cigarettes equals butterflies and women – beauty and leisure, of a kind. A clever, but manipulative marketing campaign rooted in its era, especially given who got to see this imagery and who was often left out. This subtle messaging normalized societal assumptions and hierarchies while giving momentary pleasure through art—an ambiguous intersection if ever I saw one. Curator: A very apt take. So many layers interwoven within this tiny print. It holds quite a lot of weight in its lightness, if that makes sense. Editor: Definitely. The small format lets the visual metaphor breathe. Makes me appreciate the complex story behind it even more.