Monterey, from the Fancy Bathers series (N187) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This chromolithograph of "Monterey" from the "Fancy Bathers" series was made by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co. These cards were originally included in cigarette packs, but they are now valuable resources for cultural historians. The images reflect the late 19th-century attitudes towards women, leisure, and the commodification of the female form. Note how the bather's curvaceous figure, fashionable bathing suit, and careful posing reflect the aesthetic values of the period. This was a time when the burgeoning advertising industry was busy creating idealized images for mass consumption. The "Fancy Bathers" series also tells us about institutional histories. As the Kimball company mass-produced these images, they shaped popular taste and reinforced the idea of women as objects of visual pleasure. To fully understand the meaning of images like this, we need to consult diverse sources: fashion magazines, advertising history, and feminist theory. It's through this kind of interdisciplinary research that we can understand the complex social and institutional contexts that shaped this image and its cultural impact.