She Knew His Whiskers, from the Snapshots from "Puck" series (N128) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

This chromolithograph was made around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as an advertisement for Honest Long Cut Tobacco. It is a snapshot from "Puck", a satirical magazine, by permission. It depicts an exaggerated Irish stereotype, Mrs. O’Stone, being tickled by a goat’s whiskers, while Michael watches from over a fence. The stereotypical depiction of the Irish was common in the late 19th century due to anti-immigrant sentiment. These images were used to mock and belittle marginalized groups. W. Duke, Sons & Co. was capitalizing on this widespread prejudice to promote their product. Further research into the cultural context of late 19th-century advertising, as well as period publications like "Puck" will help to understand the social attitudes reflected in this work. This image reminds us that art, even in commercial form, can be a reflection of social and institutional biases.