Card 39, Thecla Smilacis, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This is a chromolithograph trade card made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., part of the Butterflies series. The focal point is a woman adorned with butterfly wings, her dress in a soft pink hue that complements the gradient background, creating an ethereal quality. Notice how the artist has combined human form with elements of the natural world. The wings, patterned with green and red, create a vibrant contrast against the pale skin and pastel dress of the figure. The composition is deliberately simple, emphasizing the aesthetic over narrative depth, typical of the period's commercial art. The image is a study in contrasts – the hard lines of her jewelry, the soft folds of her dress, and the organic shapes of the wings. It engages with themes of transformation and the synthesis of beauty found in nature and humanity. The card invites ongoing interpretation, reflecting the shifting cultural codes of beauty and the ongoing re-evaluation of art's relationship with commerce.