Christ, Holy See, from the World's Decorations series (N30) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
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
63.350.201.30.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century ephemera with *Christ, Holy See*, a tiny gem from Allen & Ginter's *World's Decorations* series (N30), issued around 1890. These color lithographs were tucked into cigarette packs as collectible trade cards, sparking a craze among enthusiasts for their depictions of global medals, orders, and badges. This card highlights a papal or Vatican-related decoration honoring Christ, blending religious reverence with the era's fascination for exotic honors from around the world. Produced via chromolithography—a pioneering technique for affordable, vivid colo...
About the Artist
Lindner, Eddy & Claus|Allen & Ginter (American|American) · | – |
American, Richmond, Virginia|American, New York