Seimseim, from the Musical Instruments series (N82) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small card, ‘Seimseim, from the Musical Instruments series,’ was made around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co., purveyors of tobacco products. The chromolithographic printing process allowed for the cheap reproduction of images. In this example, we see a woman, perhaps in a geisha-like persona, playing a stringed instrument. The details here are fascinating, as the flat, thin card stock allowed for mass production, while the design exoticized a culture, all to promote a commodity: cigarettes. The card’s materiality is also indicative of its social context: it reflects the rise of consumer culture and the use of images to sell products. It is a reminder of how art can be used to promote consumerism and perpetuate stereotypes. Looking at this card, we can see how seemingly disparate aspects of culture – art, commerce, and social attitudes – are intertwined. This teaches us that the meaning of an artwork goes beyond its aesthetic qualities, requiring us to understand how it participates in wider cultural and economic systems.