Ladies and Gentlemen..., from the Magic Changing Cards series (N223) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company 1889

This small, hand-drawn illustration, "Ladies and Gentlemen..., from the Magic Changing Cards series" is from a series of cards issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1889. It depicts a man on a stage, holding a plate in his hand, with a curtain and stage lights in the background. The image, part of a series of promotional cards for the tobacco company, was likely created for the general public as part of the card series, to promote Kinney Brothers Tobacco. The artwork, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, uses simple lines and hatching to create its visual effects. The use of the cards for promotional purposes reveals a connection between 19th-century art and commercial advertising, suggesting how art was used to promote products.