Atlantic City, New Jersey, from the Surf Beauties series (N232), issued by Kinney Bros. 1889

"Atlantic City, New Jersey," a chromolithograph trade card, was created by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The card features a young woman in a red bathing suit seated on rocks at the edge of the ocean. The composition is vertically oriented, the figure and rocks dominating the foreground while the ocean provides a backdrop. The use of color is striking. The red of the bathing suit contrasts with the brown and grey of the rocks and the blue-green of the water, drawing the viewer's eye to the figure. The hatching and stippling create texture and depth in the rocks and water. The overall impression is of a vibrant and dynamic scene that celebrates the pleasures of seaside leisure. The card also challenges traditional notions of representation by presenting an idealized image of feminine beauty within the context of consumer culture. The card invites us to consider how images are constructed and how they function within broader cultural and economic systems.