Hujat Khan, Mahomedan Khan, Afghanistan, from the Savage and Semi-Barbarous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 in. (6.8 × 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
63.350.216.189.44
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, American tobacco companies like Wm. S. Kimball & Co. popularized collectible trading cards as promotional inserts in cigarette packs, captivating enthusiasts with vivid images of far-off cultures. This petite commercial color lithograph, titled *Hujat, Mahomedan Khan Afghanistan*, from the "Savage and Semi-Barous Chiefs and Rulers series (N189), that trend. Issued in 1888, the card measures just 2 11/16 × 1 1/2 inches, designed for easy collection and trading. Its subject, an Afghan leader, is rendered in a formal portrait style, reflecting Western fascination—and oft...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company
**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...