A Short History of General Richard Stoddart Ewell, from the Histories of Generals series of booklets (N78) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This 1888 chromolithograph by W. Duke, Sons & Co. is a portrait of Confederate General Richard Stoddert Ewell. It is part of the “Histories of Generals” series of booklets produced by Duke brand cigarettes. The image portrays Ewell in a close-up, wearing his military uniform. The work is a fine example of the chromolithographic printing techniques popular in the late 19th century, and its small size would have made it easily collectible. “A Short History of General Richard Stoddart Ewell” is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, representing the history of American cigarette card advertising.