Officer of Hussars, Spain, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is an advertising card made by the Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It is one of many in a series portraying military uniforms from around the world. The image is a chromolithograph, a printing technique that allowed for the cheap production of colorful images. Its smooth, flat surface belies the complex process of layering multiple colors from individual stones. This was a highly industrialized form of craft, involving teams of skilled workers. The card would have been included in packs of cigarettes, enticing customers with collectible images of global pageantry. The card itself, like the cigarettes it promoted, is a small object with a big story to tell. It speaks to the industrialization of image-making and the global reach of consumer culture in the late 19th century. It is a reminder that even the most ephemeral objects can offer insight into the social and economic forces that shape our world.