Miss Rivalto, 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
Ephemera|Photographs
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
63.350.216.203.279
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century advertising with *Miss Rivalto, from the Actresses series (N203)*, a charming commercial color lithograph produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. in 1889. This petite portrait (just 2 5/8 × 1 3/8 inches) captures the poised elegance of actress Miss Rivalto, one of many celebrated performers featured in the series. Issued as promotional inserts for Kimball's tobacco products, these cards turned everyday cigarette packs into collectible treasures, fueling a craze among enthusiasts. Chromolithography, the medium here, was a revolutionary printing techniq...
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...