Card 29, Heliconia Cydno, from the Butterflies series (N183) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1888

This small card featuring Heliconia Cydno was part of a series of butterfly images issued by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co., a 19th-century tobacco company. These cards, distributed with cigarette packs, blur the lines between advertising, art, and popular education. This card, like others in the series, reflects the late 19th-century fascination with natural science and exoticism, but within the strict boundaries of Victorian morality. The figure's classical drapery and modest pose are visual cues that align her with traditional ideals of femininity. Yet the butterfly wings also suggest a connection to the natural world, a realm often associated with freedom and transformation. The institutional history of such cards raises questions about the role of corporations in shaping cultural values. What did it mean to promote both tobacco consumption and an appreciation for nature? How did these images reinforce or challenge existing social norms? To answer these questions, one must consider the economic and cultural context in which these cards were produced, combining art historical analysis with archival research.