Rope Walking, from the Gymnastic Exercises series (N77) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

"Rope Walking," from the *Gymnastic Exercises* series of trade cards, was created in 1887 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to advertise their Duke brand cigarettes. The card depicts a woman in a yellow leotard performing the classic circus act of tightrope walking. This colorful, illustrated card reflects the late 19th-century trend of using trade cards as a form of advertising, and demonstrates the popularity of circus acts during that era. The card is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.