Statue, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 4) issued by Kinney Bros.
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 5/8 × 1 7/16 in. (6.7 × 3.7 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
Burdick 218, N228.151
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1889, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco issued this petite chromolithograph as part of its "Novelties" (N228, Type 4), titled *Statue*. Measuring just 2⅝ × 1⅞ inches, this ephemeral print was likely a collectible insert tucked into cigarette packages, enticing smokers—especially men—with vibrant, novelty-themed imagery. The profile of a woman evokes classical statuary, blending Victorian fascination with antiquity and feminine beauty, as hinted by the tags "Profiles|Women." Chromolithography, a pioneering color printing technique, allowed for mass production of vivid, multi-hued designs at low c...
About the Artist
Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011
**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...