Young Black Dog, Osage, from the American Indian Chiefs series (N2) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands
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
63.350.201.2.39
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, Allen & Ginter, a pioneering American tobacco company, revolutionized marketing by inserting colorful lithographed trading cards into their cigarette packs. This diminutive chromolithograph, *Young Black Dog, Osage*, from their 1888 "American Indian Chiefs" series (2), captures the poised likeness of an Osage leader, showcasing his dignified profile against a simple backdrop. Measuring just 2¾ x 1½ inches, cards were designed for easy collection, sparking a craze among enthusiasts and turning everyday ephemera into cherished keepsakes. Chromolithography, the medium h...
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...