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

This chromolithograph, “Staff Officer, Italy, 1853,” comes from a series issued by the Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The figure is a study in contrasts: his crisp uniform set against the soft, muted background. Observe the composition: the officer is centrally positioned, his figure a vertical anchor around which the landscape subtly swirls. This careful arrangement elevates a simple advertisement to a statement on authority. The chromatic scheme here emphasizes a tension between the artificiality of the officer's attire—the vibrant blues and sharp yellows—and the subdued earth tones of the natural environment. The texture, though simulated by lithography, invites tactile consideration. The fur trim, the metallic glint of the sword: all designed to engage the senses and elevate the status of both the officer and the product he promotes. It suggests that the very act of smoking becomes a participation in a world of crafted appearances.