Knight, France, 16th Century, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is a promotional card of a French Knight from the 16th century, produced by the Kinney Tobacco Company in the late 19th century as part of a series to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were created during a time of intense industrialization and expanding global markets. Kinney Brothers were tapping into a fascination with historical and exotic figures to appeal to consumers. But it's crucial to remember that these images were also instruments of commerce, designed to sell tobacco products which were becoming increasingly associated with masculinity and leisure. Looking closely, we see a figure idealized and romanticized. The Knight is clad in shining armor, which speaks to a nostalgia for a chivalric past, one far removed from the realities of labor and social strife of the time. The card simplifies history, turning it into a spectacle for consumption. It presents an uncomplicated image of heroism which both obscures the complex realities of warfare and overlooks the social and economic inequalities of the era.