The Vienna Beauty, from World's Beauties, Series 1 (N26) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes
1888
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (7 x 3.8 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
63.350.201.26.49
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *The Vienna Beauty*, a charming chromolithograph from Allen & Ginter's *World's Beauties, Series 1 (N26)*, issued in 1888. This petite card, measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, was tucked into cigarette packs as a collectible incentive, transforming everyday smoking into a treasure hunt for enthusiasts. Produced by the pioneering American tobacco firm Allen & Ginter, it the era's "trade cards"—ephemeral gems that blended commerce with artistry. Chromolithography, the medium here, revolutionized printing by layering vibrant colors through...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...