Monocle and Eye (dark blue), from Jocular Ocular series (N221) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This small chromolithograph of an eye and monocle was made in the United States in 1888 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. It comes from a series called "Jocular Ocular," and it encapsulates much of the social and economic landscape of the late 19th century. What was the public role of images like this at the time? It was, first and foremost, advertisement. But the association of visual spectacle with a commercial product also speaks to broader cultural shifts. Consider the rise of mass media, the growing importance of visual culture, and the increasing sophistication of marketing techniques. Images like this played a role in shaping consumer desires, constructing identities, and mediating social relationships. Understanding this artwork means diving into the archives of advertising history, exploring the rise of consumer culture, and analyzing the visual codes through which meaning was made. It shows us that even the smallest of images can offer insight into the social and institutional forces that shape our world.