Begonia (Begonia Rex), from the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

This is a chromolithograph of a Begonia Rex, made by Goodwin & Company sometime between 1850 and 1950. It's from a series of flower images produced for Old Judge Cigarettes. At first glance, this seems like a harmless advertisement, but consider the social context: Cigarette cards emerged in the late 19th century as a marketing strategy, becoming immensely popular. These cards, included in cigarette packs, initially served to stiffen the packaging. However, tobacco companies soon realized their potential as miniature billboards. Series of images, like this one, fostered brand loyalty as consumers collected and traded them. The Begonia Rex, a symbol of wealth and exoticism, was deliberately chosen to appeal to the aspirations of smokers. In a way, it subtly associated smoking with a refined lifestyle. To understand this image fully, we can consult archives of advertising history, business records of tobacco companies, and social histories of leisure and consumption. The meaning of art is contingent on social and institutional context.