Terra, Goddess of the Earth, from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series (N188) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is "Terra, Goddess of the Earth," from the Goddesses of the Greeks and Romans series, made by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. It's a chromolithograph, meaning it was printed using multiple stones, each bearing a different color. The process allowed mass production of vivid images. Notice how the printing captures the texture of her dress, and the glint of light on the golden apple she holds. Chromolithography democratized image-making. No longer were color images the preserve of hand-painted artworks; now they could be included in everyday ephemera like cigarette cards. The goddess herself is an idealized figure, but the image speaks volumes about industrial processes, consumer culture, and the labor needed to produce such a volume of printed material. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple images can tell complex stories about society and technology. The card asks us to consider the amount of work involved in the production process.