Card 49, Prepona Amphimachus, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

Editor: Here we have Card 49, Prepona Amphimachus, from the Butterflies series, printed in 1888 by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. The image presents a woman with butterfly wings – it’s an unusual combination. What strikes me is the romantic almost fantastical mood, and the tension between natural science and ideal beauty. How do you see this piece? Curator: It’s fascinating to consider this card within the context of late 19th-century visual culture. These trade cards, distributed with products like tobacco, became incredibly popular. What were they *doing* in society? Beyond simply advertising goods, they circulated images of nature, beauty, and even exoticism, effectively educating and entertaining the public while promoting consumerism. The placement of the woman’s portrait against the butterfly wings certainly plays into existing ideals of feminine beauty being aligned with nature. Editor: So, this card is a blend of advertising, education, and the circulation of cultural ideals? I hadn’t thought about its educational function. Curator: Precisely! And it reveals a very specific socio-political project, doesn’t it? How ideas about beauty and scientific classification were being popularized and consumed. Does this connection between commercial interests and public imagery give you any thoughts about how images function today? Editor: It makes me wonder about the ethical considerations in how beauty standards are sold to us. Thanks, that’s a new lens for me. Curator: Indeed. This card may seem quaint, but it provides a window into the complex ways that art, commerce, and cultural values intertwine.