Acton, Harvard University, from the College Football Stars series (N302) for Mayo's Cut Plug Tobacco 1894

This late nineteenth-century card was printed by P.H. Mayo & Brother of Richmond, Virginia, as part of a series of promotional cards for their tobacco products. These sorts of cards were printed using a photographic process combined with lithography, a technique which allowed images to be reproduced rapidly and cheaply. Look closely and you can see how the image has been built up through layers of color, creating a sepia-toned portrait of Acton, the Harvard football star. The card’s design, including the bold lettering and the company’s logo, reflects a burgeoning culture of consumerism. Tobacco companies distributed these cards widely, turning them into collectible items. Cards like this one are fascinating because they show how the relatively new techniques of mass production transformed not only the marketplace but also the aesthetics of everyday life. It's a reminder that art and commerce have always been intertwined.