Capitol of Illinois in Springfield, from the General Government and State Capitol Buildings series (N14) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1889

This small card, produced by Allen & Ginter, shows the Illinois Capitol in Springfield. It is one of a series included in packs of cigarettes. Chromolithography, the printing process used here, allowed for mass production in vivid colors, making images like this widely accessible. But this wasn't about art for art's sake. It was about branding and sales. Cigarette companies used these cards to stiffen packs, attract customers, and build brand loyalty. The image itself becomes a token, a collectible embedded within a larger system of consumption. Consider the layers of labor involved: from the artists who designed the image to the factory workers who printed and packaged it, to the tobacco farmers and factory workers involved in cigarette production. This card connects to a vast network of labor and capital, subtly promoting not just a product, but also an ideology of progress and consumerism. It challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.