Officer, 2nd Battery, Maryland, National Guard, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This 1888 lithograph by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company is part of a series of trade cards promoting Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This particular card depicts an Officer from the 2nd Battery of the Maryland National Guard. The card uses vivid color and a decorative design to showcase the military figure in a formal pose. The use of trade cards, especially with military themes, was a common practice in the late 19th century to promote consumer goods. This card, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, is a valuable example of the intersection of commercial advertising, military imagery, and 19th-century American culture.