Miss M. Detchon, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 5/8 × 1 3/8 in. (6.6 × 3.5 cm)
Classification
Photographs|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
63.350.216.203.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, tobacco companies like Wm.. Kimball & Co. popularized collectible trading cards inserted into cigarette packs, turning everyday products into cultural phenomena. This charming commercial color lithograph, *Miss M. Detchon, from the Actresses (N203)*, dates to 1889 and the era's fascination with theater stars. Miss M. Detchon, a lesser-known actress, is portrayed in a poised, elegant pose typical of celebrity portraits, reflecting the rising star power of women on stage amid Victorian society's blend of propriety and performance. Produced via chromolithography—a groun...
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...