Happy New Year 1890, from the New Years 1890 series (N227) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889 - 1890

This small chromolithograph, "Happy New Year 1890", was part of a series of New Year cards produced by Kinney Bros. Tobacco Company. The image presents a symbolic transition: a boy representing the departing year 1889 is shown falling into "Oblivion," while a foot labeled 1890 steps confidently through a brightly lit doorway. These cards, distributed with tobacco products, were a form of advertising that also tapped into the late 19th-century culture of sending holiday greetings. The Kinney Brothers were pioneers in color lithography techniques at a time when mass media was expanding. Their strategic partnerships with artists and investment in technology allowed them to make inroads in advertising and popular culture. To fully appreciate the art's context, research into the history of advertising, print culture, and the tobacco industry would be invaluable. The meaning of art is dependent on social and institutional context.