Roman Denarius, 14 A.D., from the Ancient Coins series (N180) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 1 1/2 × 2 5/8 in. (3.8 × 6.7 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
63.350.216.180.28
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming commercial color lithograph, produced in 1888 by William S. Kimball &, captures the likeness of a Roman denarius minted around 14 A.D. Part of the "Ancient Coins series (N180), exemplifies the era's popular ephemera—tiny, collectible cards often tucked into cigarette packages to entice smokers and spark interest in history. At just 1 1/2 × 2 5/8 inches, these vivid prints turned classical antiquity into pocket-sized treasures, reflecting late 19th-century America's growing fascination with ancient Rome amid classical revivals in art and architecture. The lithographic technique h...
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...