China Aster: Versatility, from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers (N75) for Duke brand cigarettes 1892

This colorful trade card, part of the "Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers" series, depicts a young woman holding a cluster of China Asters, a popular flower in the Victorian era symbolizing "versatility." Created by the American Tobacco Company in 1892 for Duke brand cigarettes, the artwork features a charming illustration with a delicate aesthetic common for advertising of the time, targeting a general audience, particularly consumers of Duke cigarettes. The card, printed on a small sheet of paper, is now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.