The Venus of Milo, from the Magic Changing Cards series (N223) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company 1889

This small card depicting the Venus de Milo was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of their Magic Changing Cards series. The lithographic printing process allowed for mass production, embedding art within everyday consumer goods. The card’s tan hues are a direct result of the printing inks and paper stock available at the time. "Hold to the light," it says, revealing the image through transmitted light. The materiality of the card—its thinness and the semi-transparency of the paper—are key to its function as a novelty item. Lithography allowed for detailed reproduction, but here it's used to disseminate classical art to a broad audience, effectively democratizing it. These cards weren't conceived as high art but as a promotional tool. Looking closely, we see the intersection of art, industry, and consumption. This small object prompts us to consider the labor involved in its production, and how art becomes enmeshed with commerce.