Studio, from World's Dudes series (N31) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph, titled "Studio," was made by Allen & Ginter for their cigarette packs. It shows us how art was being packaged and sold in late 19th century America. Here we see an artist, dressed in bohemian attire, complete with a beret and a flamboyant bow tie, standing in his studio. He is surrounded by the tools of his trade: a canvas, a palette, and brushes. But note how the image is itself a commodity, a collectible item included in cigarette packs. This tells us something about the changing status of art and artists in an era of mass production and advertising. We must ask: how did this commercialization affect the production and reception of art? What role did institutions like corporations play in shaping artistic taste and value? To understand this, we can delve into archives of advertising history, study the biographies of artists, and examine the economic structures that supported the art world at the time.