Mary Read, The Duel, from the Pirates of the Spanish Main series (N19) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1886 - 1891

This chromolithograph, part of the “Pirates of the Spanish Main” series, depicts the legendary pirate Mary Read. The card features a close-up portrait of Read in a wide-brimmed hat, and a smaller scene of her dueling with a male pirate in the background. The image was created to be printed on cigarette cards for Allen & Ginter, a popular tobacco company in the late 19th century. The bright colors, detailed features, and dramatic composition of the card are characteristic of the illustrative style of the time. The card is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.