Jack of Diamonds, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This chromolithograph of the Jack of Diamonds, from the Harlequin Cards series, was issued by Kinney Bros. around 1889, as a promotional item included in packs of tobacco. Such images were part of a broader 19th-century culture of collecting. The card illustrates the character of the Jack, a knave or rogue, whose image is rendered through visual codes that were common at the time. The clothing and physiognomy seem to be a nod to the European medieval tradition of courtly characters. However, the commercial function of the image complicates any reading of historical meanings. The image can be read as conservative, insofar as it harks back to older cultural traditions, but the image is equally progressive because it embraces new methods of mass production and advertising. Understanding images like this one involves delving into historical sources, exploring the traditions of popular entertainment as well as the economic conditions that shaped the tobacco industry. The meaning of art always depends on its social and institutional context.