New York, from Flags of the States and Territories (N11) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small card depicting New York, part of the Flags of the States and Territories series, was printed by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette brands. These cards were made using chromolithography, a technique involving multiple stones to apply different colors, creating a vibrant image. The card is visually divided into different parts: the state flag in the upper part, a view of New York harbor in the lower part, and the brand name in the lower register. The flag itself is replete with allegorical images relating to the state's identity. This elaborate design would have been painstaking, yet they were produced in huge quantities. The card speaks to the rise of consumer culture and industrial production. It blurs the lines between commerce, art, and state identity. Such cards were essentially advertisements, mass-produced through complex labor processes, inserted into cigarette packs to encourage collecting. The production of these cards required not only skilled artists but also factory workers operating printing machinery. By considering the material and social context, we see how even a small, mass-produced item like this reveals the interweaving of art, labor, and capitalism.