Plate 38, from the Fans of the Period series (N7) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

Plate 38, from the Fans of the Period series, was produced as chromolithography card for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. The image is printed on a very thin paper support, which would have been rapidly produced in mass quantities. The production of this card was intimately tied to the economics of the time. The chromolithography process allowed for bright, eye-catching images to be reproduced at a scale never before possible. These cards served as advertisements, incentives to purchase, and collectible items, all rolled into one tiny package. Note the stylish woman, complete with elaborate hat and fan, signaling the aspirational lifestyle that the cigarettes were meant to represent. The value of this object today lies not only in its aesthetic qualities, but also in its testament to the intertwined histories of consumerism, art, and labor. It encourages us to look beyond the surface, and recognize the complex material and social relations that give objects their meaning.