Oliver Hazard Perry, from the series Great Americans (N76) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small card portraying Oliver Hazard Perry, dates from around 1900 and was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional insert for Duke brand cigarettes. The chromolithography process, a technique involving the layering of colors from multiple stones, allowed for mass production of these cards, blurring the lines between commercial printing and collectible art. The very materiality of this card, its thinness and the smooth, slightly glossy surface achieved through printing, speaks volumes about its intended use, designed to be collected and traded, becoming miniature artifacts of popular culture. It depicts Perry, but the image also promotes the company itself as 'The largest cigarette manufacturer in the world', revealing the card's dual purpose: to commemorate historical figures while fueling the burgeoning culture of consumerism. These cards were essentially products of their time, capitalizing on both public interest in historical figures and the mass production capabilities of industrial America. They remind us that what we often consider ‘art’ can be deeply intertwined with the social issues of labor, politics, and consumption.