Actress from the Old Judge series (N167) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886

This small, 19th-century chromolithograph depicts a young woman dressed in a white gown, her hands clasped in front of her. The image, part of a series of trade cards created by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes, exemplifies the popular use of beautiful women in advertising during the late 1800s. The card’s small size and simple design highlight the subject’s beauty and are characteristic of the era’s focus on portraiture in advertising. The image is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, offering a glimpse into the evolution of advertising and the role of visual art in branding.