Lord Nelson, from Leaders series (N222) issued by Kinney Bros. 1888

This small chromolithograph of Lord Nelson comes to us from the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. These cards were produced using a commercial printing process that gained popularity in the late 19th century, involving the use of multiple lithographic stones, one for each color. The resulting image is striking, yet there is a flattening effect – an index of its mass-produced origins. Consider the number of cards like this that Kinney Bros. must have printed and distributed to promote their product. The card is a token within a vast system of consumption. Its value lies not in the artistry of the image but in its disposability as a form of advertising. We may admire the card’s design today, but it is also important to remember its original purpose: to sell tobacco, and to do so in a way that reflected the values of the time, associating their brand with leadership and patriotism. This reminds us that the history of art is not just about individual genius, but also about the social and economic forces that shape our visual world.