Melpomene, Muse of Tragedy, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
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
63.350.216.188.28
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate color lithograph from 1889 depicts Melpomene, the Greek Muse of Tragedy, as part of the “Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans” series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. In classical mythology, Melpomene is traditionally shown with tragic mask and cothurnus boots, of dramatic performance that reminded viewers of theater’s power to explore human suffering and fate. Printed by the Ketterlinus Lithography Company, the tiny card—measuring just 2¾ by 1½ inches—exemplifies the vibrant commercial printing techniques of the late nineteenth century. Tobacco manufacturers like Kimball dis...
About the Artist
William S. Kimball & Company|Ketterlinus Lithography 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...