Empress of Japan, from World's Sovereigns series (N34) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1889

This image of the Empress of Japan was printed by Allen & Ginter, a Richmond, Virginia cigarette company, as part of a collectable series. Using a lithographic process, the image is printed on paper, a cheap and easily reproduced medium which allowed the company to mass produce the card. The color lithography printing process allows for an image to be reproduced an infinite number of times through a chemical process, and offset printing techniques. The design and aesthetics of this mass produced image are indicative of the period, reflecting both the cultural interest in faraway lands, but also how the mechanical reproduction of images changed our relationship to them. This card, seemingly so simple, speaks volumes about the industrialization of image making, the rise of consumer culture, and the complex ways in which we come to understand the world around us. It challenges us to consider the value and meaning we assign to both art and everyday objects.