A Bare Chance, from the Jokes series (N87) for Duke brand cigarettes 1890

"A Bare Chance", from the "Jokes" series for Duke brand cigarettes, is a humorous lithograph by W. Duke, Sons & Co., from 1890. The artwork depicts a cartoonish hunter, running away from a small bear with a terrified expression. The scene is likely set in the woods, where the hunter is armed with a rifle. The overall effect of the artwork is humorous, as it uses exaggerated features and poses to create a comical situation. The image is typical of the style of advertising that was popular in the late 19th century, which often used humor and caricature to appeal to a broad audience. This artwork, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is a prime example of trade cards, a form of advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.