Making Eye-Catching Packages: Chromolithography

Introduced to the United States in 1840, chromolithography allowed printers to reproduce elaborate, colorful images in larger numbers. In the late nineteenth century, chromolithography became a popular advertising tool, especially among cigar manufacturers, who attracted customer attention by covering cigar boxes with eye-catching labels.

The many colorful packages and advertisements we see today developed from techniques learned in the era of chromolithography.

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