King of Spades (black), from the Playing Cards series (N84) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This is “King of Spades (black),” a playing card that was part of a series produced around 1900 by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to be included in packs of Duke brand cigarettes. Playing cards like this one are fascinating objects when we consider their social context. Duke was one of the first American tobacco companies to mass-produce cigarettes, and they used these cards as a marketing tool, hoping to entice consumers with collectible items. But the imagery on the cards, the King of Spades in this case, also reflects the cultural values and hierarchies of the time. The King is depicted in a stylized, almost generic way, suggesting a universal idea of monarchy. Yet, the card itself was part of a capitalist enterprise, commodifying leisure and associating it with the consumption of tobacco. To understand the full significance of this card, we might research the history of tobacco marketing, the rise of consumer culture, and the symbolic meanings attached to playing cards in different historical periods. Ultimately, it reminds us that art is always embedded in social and institutional contexts.