William S. Kimball & Company
William S. Kimball & Company was a commercial entity active primarily in the production and publication of art prints between 1886 and 1887. Operating during a period of expanding popular culture in the late 19th century, the company specialized in issuing collectible series, likely utilizing chromolithography or similar processes for mass distribution.
The company's output consisted of prints developed for the general market, often depicting contemporary themes. A significant documented release is the Sports and Art Subjects series (N197), which includes the specific image Athletic. These images offer insight into the popular aesthetics and recreational interests of the 1880s.
Fifteen of the William S. Kimball & Company prints are preserved in major American collections, notably the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The survival of these examples establishes their importance as historical artifacts and museum-quality illustrations of late 19th-century commercial design. Because much of this material, including these high-quality prints, has entered the public domain, it remains widely accessible as downloadable artwork today, utilized by researchers and enthusiasts seeking royalty-free historical imagery.
