Queen of Clubs, from Harlequin Cards, 2nd Series (N220) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This is the Queen of Clubs, from a series of Harlequin Cards made by Kinney Bros. tobacco company in the late 19th century. These were printed using lithography, a process that allows for mass production of colorful images. Notice how the printing technique influences the appearance of the card, with flat areas of color and bold outlines. Lithography enabled the Kinney Brothers to produce these cards on a massive scale, and they included them in packs of cigarettes as a promotional item. This speaks to the way in which new printing technologies transformed the landscape of both advertising and consumer culture, creating a desire for the new and the novel. While not 'high art' in the traditional sense, this card exemplifies how design, craft, and industry intersected in the 19th century. It challenges us to think about how popular imagery was produced and consumed and how these processes can imbue even the most humble objects with cultural significance.