History of Josef Hoffman, from the Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People series of booklets (N79) for Duke brand cigarettes 1888

This small card, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co., is from the “Histories of Poor Boys and Famous People” series, distributed with Duke brand cigarettes. The chromolithographic process used to create this card was highly industrialized. Multiple limestone printing plates were created, one for each color. Workers would then transfer the image onto these stones with meticulous accuracy. Each sheet of paper had to be passed through the press multiple times, a different color each time, building up the image in layers. The card’s surface has a glossy sheen, showing the quality achieved through this method. The figure of Josef Hoffman is idealized, his rosy cheeks and neat sailor suit are signs of respectability and aspiration. Such cards were essentially advertisements, designed to appeal to consumers and promote the Duke brand, but they also reflect social values. The story of a "poor boy" achieving fame through hard work and talent aligns with capitalist ideals, obscuring any exploitation involved in the production of cigarettes, or the making of this very card. Understanding these material and social contexts is crucial to understanding the full complexity of this seemingly simple object.