Hollyhock: Ambition, from the series Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers (N75) for Duke brand cigarettes
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 × 1 1/2 in. (7 × 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
63.350.204.75.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming 1892 color lithograph, created by Donaldson Brothers for the American Tobacco Company’s Duke brand cigarettes, belongs to the “Floral Beauties and Language of Flowers” series. Measuring just 2¾ by 1½ inches, the card was designed as an insert for cigarette packs, turning everyday tobacco purchases into opportunities for collecting and contemplation. The central figure of a woman paired with hollyhocks evokes the Victorian “language of flowers,” in which the tall, vibrant blooms symbolized ambition and aspiration. Color lithography allowed such cards to be produced inexpensively ...
About the Artist
Donaldson Brothers|American Tobacco Company (American| ) · 1850 | –1870 |
American, New York|