A Short History of General John Clifford Pemberton, from the Histories of Generals series of booklets (N78) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This portrait of General John Clifford Pemberton comes from a series of small booklets made around the turn of the 20th century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. for their Duke brand cigarettes. The image is printed on paper, using chromolithography - a color printing technique that enabled mass production. Look closely, and you can see the layering of inks that create the final image. The process allowed for inexpensive, colorful images to be widely distributed, and the act of collecting these cards became a popular pastime. These booklets were essentially advertisements, using collectible images to promote brand loyalty, tying consumption to a narrative of national identity and historical memory. They reflect a period of industrial expansion and mass marketing, where even historical figures became commodities. The mass production and distribution of such images democratized access to art and information, while simultaneously serving the interests of commercial enterprise. So, next time you see a small, seemingly insignificant printed image, remember the complex interplay of art, commerce, and cultural values it represents.