Card 42, Argynnis Idalia, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 in. (6.9 × 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
63.350.216.183.42
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th advertising with *Card 42, Argynnis Idalia* from the Butterflies seriesN183), issued by. S. Kimball &. in 1888. This petite commercial color lithograph, measuring just 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 inches, was a trade card distributed with Kimball's tobacco products. Produced by the renowned lithographer Julius Bien, it captures the striking Argynnis Idalia butterflynow known as the regal fritillary—side elegant profiles of women, blending natural beauty with feminine allure to entice collectors and promote the brand. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized ma...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company|Julius Bien
**William S. Kimball & Company**, a pioneering American tobacco manufacturer, was established in 1846 in Rochester, New York, by William S. Kimball and James C. Hart. The firm quickly grew into one of the city's largest employers, particularly of women, producing popular brands like Peerless chewing tobacco, Rigatta and Fireside smoking tobacco, and Vanity Fair cigarettes. Under Kimball's leadersh...