Private, 47th Regiment, National Guard of the State of New York, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have a chromolithograph print from 1888 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, titled "Private, 47th Regiment, National Guard of the State of New York." It depicts a soldier, but something about his posture and the slight cartoonish style feels a little unsettling to me. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This seemingly simple portrait offers a glimpse into the complex relationship between military culture, commercial advertising, and emerging notions of identity in the late 19th century. Cigarette cards like these weren't just innocent promotions; they actively shaped perceptions of masculinity and national pride. The soldier, despite his uniform, almost appears to be a caricature, prompting questions about the glorification, or even satirization, of military service. Who do you think this image was marketed towards, and why might that matter? Editor: I imagine they were marketed towards young men, maybe to make military service seem appealing? The association with a pleasurable product like cigarettes would certainly make it more attractive. Curator: Exactly. Consider the implications: the consumption of tobacco, linked to an idealized, arguably falsified, image of military strength and valor. And think about who was *excluded* from this vision of national service – the representation of people of color and recent immigrants was strategically absent in these popular portrayals of patriotism. Can we view this artwork as a historical document that not only reflects but also actively reinforces a dominant, exclusionary ideology? Editor: That’s a really insightful point. It’s easy to overlook the power of these seemingly trivial images to shape public opinion and reinforce societal biases. Curator: Indeed. This print becomes a powerful artifact for examining the intersections of gender, class, race, and nationhood, inviting us to question the stories we tell ourselves about who belongs and who is celebrated in the construction of national identity. What will you take away from this experience? Editor: This makes me see everyday images in a new light. I now consider who they target, what values they promote, and how they contribute to broader societal narratives.