Major-General, United States Army, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph of a Major-General was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1886 as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were immensely popular at the time and offer a glimpse into the cultural values and social hierarchies of late 19th-century America. The image is striking for its depiction of military authority, rendered through the General’s ornate uniform and stern demeanor. Made two decades after the Civil War, it reflects a nation still reckoning with its identity, and arguably looking to its military for stability and leadership. The card's function as a cigarette advertisement speaks to the commercialization of patriotic sentiment and the intertwining of consumer culture with national pride. To fully understand the image, one might consult military records, period newspapers, and business histories of tobacco companies. Art, like this, reveals its full meaning only when situated within the complex web of social, economic, and institutional forces of its time.