Albani, from World's Beauties, Series 1 (N26) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
1888
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (7 x 3.8 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.201.26.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite chromolithograph, *Albani, from World's Beauties, Series (N26)*, issued by Allen & Ginter in 1888, captures the allure of a celebrated woman—likely the renowned Canadian soprano Emma Albani—amid the Gilded Age's obsession with beauty and fame. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, this commercial color lithograph was designed as an insert for cigarette packs, transforming everyday tobacco products into collectible treasures. Allen & Ginter, pioneers of American cigarette cards, launched these series to boost sales and foster a burgeoning hobby among enthusiasts. The medium exemplifies l...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...