Trouville, France, from the Surf Beauties series (N232), issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This small chromolithograph was printed by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a collectible card, likely in the late 19th century. It’s from their "Surf Beauties" series. The main image is a woman seated in a hooded wicker chair. Chromolithography like this involved creating a separate printing stone for each color – a labor-intensive process. The success of this technique was closely tied to the rise of consumer culture, which used printed imagery to encourage sales. The choice of subject matter reflects changing social attitudes, as well. The "Surf Beauties" series suggests a growing acceptance of women's visibility in public spaces, and reveals the cultural values embedded in everyday objects. So, next time you light up, consider that even the smallest ephemera can reflect significant social and aesthetic shifts.