Servia, from the International Cards series (N238), issued by Kinney Bros. 1888

Editor: This is "Servia, from the International Cards series (N238)," printed by Kinney Bros. in 1888. It’s a small, colorful print featuring a portrait and various national symbols. It looks almost like a playing card or a stamp. How should we think about this image today? Curator: As a product of the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, we should consider this "art" first and foremost as advertisement. What kind of labor went into its creation? From the artists designing the image and the factory workers printing these cards by the thousands, down to the tobacco farmers— this little card encapsulates a whole network of production. Editor: So you’re saying it’s less about Milan I and more about, well, capitalism? Curator: Exactly! Think about the raw materials. The paper, the inks – where did they come from, and what were the environmental and social costs of acquiring them? It asks us to consider art not as a unique creation of genius, but as a commodity circulating in a specific historical and economic context. What about the average consumer? Editor: I see your point. These cards weren't meant for art galleries but for mass consumption. Collecting them became a popular hobby, further fueling production. It's quite the thought to see this image of nobility actually being something disposable at the time. It certainly reshapes my initial perception of the artwork. Curator: And remember, even images of royalty can be mass-produced through the mechanisms of industrial printing, becoming yet another tool in the machinery of capitalism. Editor: Thanks, I hadn't considered the role of mass production so deeply. It completely changes how I look at this piece!