Bachelor's Button (Centaurea Cyanus), from the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

Bachelor’s Button (Centaurea Cyanus), a chromolithograph, was created as part of the Flowers series for Old Judge Cigarettes by Goodwin & Company sometime between 1880 and 1900. These cards were included in cigarette packs, reflecting the Victorian era’s fascination with floriography. Beyond simple aesthetics, these cards were a coded language of flowers. They offered a means of expression within the strict social mores of the time. The bachelor's button, typically representing single blessedness, was a poignant symbol of the era. Its inclusion suggests a subtle commentary on the period's gender roles and expectations. For many, the flower was a symbol of hope or a hint of melancholy related to the choice of being alone. These cards, ephemeral and collectible, were more than just advertising; they were small windows into the cultural values and unspoken dialogues of a rapidly changing society. They represent an intimate, accessible form of art that wove itself into the fabric of everyday life.