Woman wearing brimmed hat, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

Curator: This is "Woman wearing brimmed hat," a print from 1889 created by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It's part of their Novelties series. Editor: It's surprisingly charming for an advertisement! There's a delicate quality to the lithography, particularly the soft shading on the woman’s face and the texture of her hat. Curator: Exactly. These tobacco cards served as promotional items, inserted into cigarette packs. What’s fascinating is how they reflect societal ideals and aspirations of the time. Editor: And the fact that images like these, ephemeral and mass-produced, relied on highly skilled laborers and intricate printing processes. Someone had to engrave those plates. Curator: Certainly. These small cards put art, in a way, into everyone's hands. Depicting fashionable women was a marketing strategy. Tobacco companies tapped into aspirations of consumers who wished to project an image of elegance. Editor: Right, the commodification of image. It makes you think about the impact such accessible imagery had on shaping beauty standards and social hierarchies through its mass dissemination. The colors appear carefully chosen. Curator: Undoubtedly, they aimed for accessibility and memorability. These cards were akin to small portable artworks which then would be collected or traded. It points to an interesting aspect of how industries can participate in the circulation of art, shaping the aesthetic landscape of society. Editor: Which brings us back to the skill embedded within the printmaking process itself. From the paper stock used to the registration of colors. It also hints to the scale of labor and consumer culture in the late 19th century. Curator: So, next time you see one of these little tobacco cards, remember they are not just remnants of an advertisement, but windows into understanding societal values, consumption and the historical significance of art. Editor: Absolutely, and consider also the labor and craft required to produce what appears, at first glance, to be a fleeting image.