Seated woman (on red silk), from the Girl Art Subjects series (N193) issued by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. 1887 - 1894

This is "Seated Woman (on Red Silk)," a promotional item produced by Wm. S. Kimball & Co. as part of their "Girl Art Subjects" series. These were included in packs of Kimball's Satin Straight Cut Cigarettes. This image, printed on red silk, presents a woman seated regally, perhaps evoking classical or romantic ideals of beauty and leisure. However, the context is key: it’s an advertisement, a mass-produced image designed to sell cigarettes. The very act of imprinting this image on silk—a fabric often associated with luxury—speaks volumes about the aspirations of the burgeoning middle class at the time. Consider the layers of representation at play. The woman is not just a subject but a symbol, embodying ideas of femininity, luxury, and desire. Kimball's cigarettes offered not just tobacco but a piece of this aspirational lifestyle. The image flattens her identity, reducing her to a commercial object. How does this imagery reflect and shape societal expectations of women? How does this commercial use impact our perception of identity?