Bodyguard, Austria-Hungary, from the Military Uniforms series (T182) issued by Abdul Cigarettes 1881

This small chromolithograph of an Austro-Hungarian bodyguard was produced by the Abdul Cigarettes company as part of a series of military uniforms. Chromolithography is a color printing technique, where an image is created using multiple lithographic stones, each applying a different color. In this case, the process allows for a high level of detail, capturing the texture of the bodyguard's fur hat, the details of his red uniform, and even the individual hairs of his moustache. What’s interesting is that this image, like others in the series, was essentially a premium, included in cigarette packs to encourage sales. These small cards were collected and traded. The image speaks to the industrialization of leisure, and the commodification of even something as seemingly distant as military prowess. The production of these cards involved skilled labor, from the artists who created the original designs to the workers who operated the printing presses. It’s a reminder that even seemingly frivolous items are the product of labor and, in this case, also of imperial power.