Patrol, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small card, made by Allen & Ginter for cigarette brands, is a chromolithograph - a color print created using multiple lithographic stones. The process involved preparing a separate stone for each color, which were then printed in layers to build up the image. The result is a flat, graphic style, well-suited to mass production. Here, this labor-intensive technique depicts a fashionable woman, complete with parasol and feathered hat. While appearing to celebrate leisure, it's also an artifact of late 19th-century industry, fueled by the popularity of tobacco and the rise of advertising. The card's small size made it perfect for inclusion in cigarette packs. Far from being 'high art', the image was part of an everyday consumer experience, blurring boundaries between art, commerce, and daily life. The production of these cards involved many workers. Understanding this context helps us appreciate the intricate relationship between materials, making, and culture, and challenges traditional notions about what art can be.