Engineer Corps, Italy, 1853, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was one of a series of military figures printed by the Kinney Tobacco Company around 1888 to advertise Sweet Caporal cigarettes. These cards were a cheap and effective way to promote products. Note how this Italian soldier is idealized. The Kinney Brothers used this image to cultivate a certain idea of Italy in the minds of American consumers: a romantic vision of European military prowess. By the late 19th century, American businesses were looking to expand into new markets and to create an idea of national identity through the imagery they used in their advertising campaigns. We can learn more about that period by studying popular culture ephemera, advertisements, newspapers, and magazines. They give us great insight into the cultural values of a historical moment.