Officer, 7th Regiment, New York State Militia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have a lithograph from 1888, "Officer, 7th Regiment, New York State Militia" issued by Kinney Tobacco Company as part of the Sweet Caporal Cigarettes promotion. It's really striking how detailed the uniform is for such a small, mass-produced image. What catches your eye about this print? Curator: As a materialist, what I find most fascinating is understanding this image within its broader economic and social context. These weren't created as “high art,” but as cheap commercial items designed to promote the consumption of tobacco. The choice of lithography enabled mass production. Who were the laborers producing these images, and what were their working conditions? Editor: That’s a great point. I hadn't thought about the production aspect so directly. The connection to tobacco makes me wonder about the target audience and how they perceived this kind of imagery. Curator: Exactly! This image connects directly to a culture of consumption and ideals of militarism. What does this say about late 19th-century society in America and what they valued, both in terms of leisure and national identity? This isn't just a portrait; it's a carefully constructed advertisement appealing to specific desires. Editor: So, looking at the etching and print here is less about aesthetics and more about what it tells us about society at the time? Curator: Precisely! It allows us to ask pertinent questions about who produced the piece, the circumstances under which it was created, and how the print was received and consumed by people at the time. Instead of a purely aesthetic appraisal of a drawing, the emphasis is more on material reality and culture. Editor: It gives a really rich context to think about visual art. I see so many things in the image that are there not necessarily by chance, but by labor and design. Curator: That’s right! Materialist perspective enables you to recognize and to analyze an artistic work and interpret its significance far beyond its aesthetic appeal.