Bass Viol, from the Musical Instruments series (N82) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the century, and it comes from a series of collectible cards included in Duke brand cigarettes. These cards, printed using a commercial process, are fascinating documents of labor and leisure at the height of the industrial era. The image presents a romanticized portrayal of a woman with a bass viol, a symbol of refined culture. Yet, it was mass-produced to promote a very different kind of consumption: cigarettes, made by laborers in factories, often under harsh conditions. The contrast is telling, with the idealized image of leisure standing in stark opposition to the realities of production in the late 19th century. The image is less about fine art and more about consumer culture, using charm to associate smoking cigarettes with beauty, accomplishment, and upper-class status. It is a potent reminder of the ways in which images can obscure the complex realities of labor and class.