Swimming, from the Pretty Athletes series (N196) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This card, "Swimming," from the Pretty Athletes series was printed by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. It’s a lithograph, a process that allows for mass production through printing from a flat stone or metal plate. The texture is smooth, the colors bright, and the image is a staged scene rather than a candid shot. These were not traditional art materials, but rather the tools of mass communication, intended to promote the company's tobacco products. The material and printing process speak directly to the rise of consumer culture. These cards were cheap to produce and were included in cigarette packs, creating a collectible incentive for consumers. The subject matter, a fashionable woman in swimwear, reflects the changing social norms and the commodification of leisure. The labor involved was not the artist’s hand but rather the machinery and the workers who operated it. Considering the materials, making process, and social context, we can appreciate how these images played a part in shaping consumer habits and cultural values, a fascinating intersection of art, industry, and everyday life.