Parallel Bar, Handspring, from the Gymnastic Exercises series (N77) for Duke brand cigarettes 1887

"Parallel Bar, Handspring," from the "Gymnastic Exercises" series, is a trade card created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1887 to promote their Duke brand cigarettes. The card depicts a gymnast performing a handspring on a parallel bar. The image features a stippled background and the figure is rendered in a simple, graphic style. This card, and the entire series, are notable examples of the use of visual imagery in advertising during the late 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, NY holds this small-scale artwork, which measures 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches.