George I, King of Greece, from the Rulers, Flags, and Coats of Arms series (N126-2) issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 × 4 1/4 in. (7 × 10.8 cm) Sheet (folded): 2 3/4 × 1 7/16 in. (7 × 3.6 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
63.350.206.126.70
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th ephemera with this charming commercial color lithograph from 1888, featuring *George I, King of*, part of the *Rulers, Flags, Coats of Arms* (N126-2) issued by W. Duke Sons & Co. Measuring just 2¾ × 4¼ inches (and even smaller when folded), this petite print was designed for easy distribution, likely tucked into cigarette packages as a collectible incentive. Produced by the pioneering American tobacco firm, it captures the era's craze for trading cards, blending portraiture with national symbols like flags and coats of arms to appeal to a wide audience of en...
About the Artist
W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 1870–1920
**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...