Bavarian Light Cavalry, Germany, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is a chromolithograph card made in 1886 by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as part of a series promoting Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The image depicts a Bavarian Light Cavalry soldier. The composition is vertically oriented and employs a full shot of the soldier, emphasizing his erect posture and ornate uniform. The artist uses bold blocks of colour: the deep green of the tunic and trousers contrasts with the bright red of the jacket, drawing immediate attention to the soldier's torso. The textural details, though minimal, suggest the weight and feel of the fabric and the gleam of the metal. This visual encoding relies on established cultural codes associating military regalia with power and prestige. However, by using these images as promotional material for cigarettes, Kinney Brothers destabilize these established meanings, integrating them into a new semiotic structure of consumer culture. The image functions not just aesthetically but as part of a larger discourse on commodification and representation.