Texas, from the Industries of States series (N117) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1889

This lithograph was created around the turn of the century by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. It offers a glimpse into the social and economic values of the time. The image presents a romanticized vision of Texas. A bare-breasted allegorical woman, adorned with a star, floats above images of cattle and crops. It invites us to consider the mythology of the American landscape. The imagery evokes a sense of abundance, but it obscures the exploitative labor practices prevalent at the time. The positioning of the female figure raises questions about the representation of women and the land as resources to be dominated. This card served as propaganda, glossing over social inequalities. It perpetuated an idea of American progress rooted in natural resources, obscuring the human cost.