On Guard, from the Parasol Drills series (N18) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small card, 'On Guard' from the 'Parasol Drills' series, was produced for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, likely in the late 19th century. It's made using chromolithography, a color printing technique that was revolutionary for its time. Consider the process: each color would have required a separate lithographic stone, painstakingly prepared and printed. This allowed for a relatively high level of detail and vibrant colors, showcasing the fashionable woman and her elaborate parasol. The card itself is paper, humble and mass-produced. This was a new mode of advertising, using these images to promote products in a burgeoning consumer culture. Its mass-produced nature speaks to the rise of industrial capitalism, where even leisure and fashion became commodities. While the image depicts refinement, the card itself is a product of factory labor and mass consumption. It's a fascinating reminder that even the daintiest images have a material history rooted in labor, politics, and the ever-changing dynamics of consumption.