Mlle. Nelson, from the Actresses series (N203) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is a trade card of Mlle. Nelson, from the Actresses series, printed by the cigarette manufacturer Wm. S. Kimball & Co. These cards were chromolithographed – a process that allowed images to be reproduced quickly, cheaply, and in color on an industrial scale. The technique involved creating separate printing plates for each color, layering them precisely to produce a complete image. The result is a highly stylized, almost dreamlike effect. The low relief of the print gives a tactile, almost sculptural quality to the image, a strange combination with its intended disposability. The mass production of such images reflects the rise of consumer culture and the ways in which corporations used art to promote their products. The images have become a window into the social and cultural values of the time, particularly regarding gender and celebrity. These cards remind us that the history of art is also a history of labor, and the commodification of images.