Portrait of woman, from the Novelties series (N228, Type 2) issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

This portrait of a woman was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of their 'Novelties' series. These small cards, included in cigarette packs, reflect the late 19th-century American culture. The woman’s refined features, elaborate hairstyle, and fashionable dress signify a certain social class and ideal of beauty. Consider the role of advertising in shaping cultural norms. How did commercial images like this one contribute to the construction of femininity and social status? Tobacco companies were major players in the popular imagery and consumer culture of this era. Their products both reflected and influenced social trends. To understand the context, we can look at marketing archives and sociological studies of the period. The meaning of this image lies not just in its aesthetic qualities but also in its function as a commercial object embedded in a specific historical moment.