From the Girls and Children series (N58) promoting Our Little Beauties Cigarettes for Allen & Ginter brand tobacco products 1887

This small card was made by the Allen & Ginter company to promote their tobacco products, and was part of a series of similar cards showing girls and children. It is printed using lithography, a process that allows for mass production through the use of a stone or metal plate with an image drawn on it using oil-based crayons. The plate is treated with chemicals so that the non-image areas attract water and the image areas attract ink. It’s easy to overlook the work involved in this process, but someone had to prepare the printing plates, and load the paper, and feed the press. The card’s smooth surface and bright colors speak to industrialization and commodification, as this image became associated with the marketing and consumption of goods. It is important to consider how these cards reflect wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption, and the amount of work involved in the production process. By appreciating the processes of making, we can get a better understanding of its cultural and historical significance.