Mlle. Lester, 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
63.350.216.203.229
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the glittering world of 1880s theater with *Mlle. Lester, the Actresses series (203)*, a charming commercial color lithograph produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co., American tobacco firm. Issued in 1889, this petite card—measuring just 2 5/8 × 1 3/8 inches—was part of a popular series of collectible inserts tucked into cigarette packs. These ephemera captured the allure of stage stars, turning everyday smokers into avid collectors and fueling a craze for celebrity portraits. Chromolithography, the printing technique here, brought vibrant colors and fine details to mass-produced images, m...
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...