Aurelia, from The World's Racers series (N32) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was produced by Allen & Ginter, a Richmond, Virginia, tobacco company, as part of a series of collectible cards inserted into cigarette packs. These cards, dating back to the late 19th century, offered consumers something extra, and provide today's viewers with an interesting insight into the cultural values of the period. Here, Aurelia, a racehorse, stands in profile with its jockey on its back. The format resembles equestrian portraiture, a genre with aristocratic associations. But instead of a painting commissioned by a wealthy horse owner, we have an inexpensive, mass-produced card, designed to appeal to a broad public. Horse racing was then becoming a popular spectator sport, cutting across class lines. So these cards served as advertisements, and as a way to connect the brand of cigarettes with cultural values like leisure, sport, and status. To properly understand this image, we can research the history of tobacco companies, consumer culture, and the popularization of sports in America. By examining the intersection of these social and institutional forces, we can better understand the meaning of this small, but telling, cultural artifact.