Trapeze Exercise, from the Pretty Athletes series (N196) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1889

This is a trade card, made by the Wm. S. Kimball & Co., probably sometime in the late 19th century, using chromolithography. The visual impact depends entirely on this process, which allowed manufacturers to include colorful cards in packages of cigarettes. Think of them as an early form of advertising, a way to connect with consumers. The medium is the message here, as the success of the tobacco company depended on the irresistible allure of these collectibles, with the promise of a complete set. The card depicts a woman on a trapeze; part of a series called “Pretty Athletes.” It's easy to miss the irony. Cigarettes undermine the very health that athleticism implies! You could even say that this small, mass-produced image encapsulates the contradictions of capitalism itself, playing on our desires. Ultimately, the value of this object lies in its ability to reveal a particular moment in history, where art, commerce, and social values intertwined. It challenges us to look beyond traditional definitions of art and consider the broader cultural context in which objects are made and consumed.