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

This chromolithograph of a U.S. Army General Officer in fatigue dress, was made in 1886 by the Kinney Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Chromolithography was a complex printmaking technique involving multiple limestone blocks and colors, allowing mass production of vibrant images. The material itself – paper – underscores the intersection of commerce, craft, and design. Consider the skilled labor involved in creating these images, from the initial design to the preparation and printing of the lithographic stones. The intention of these cards was to promote a lifestyle aspiration, subtly linking military authority with the habit of smoking. These cards exemplify how even seemingly disposable items can encapsulate complex social dynamics, the power of image-making, and the relentless drive of consumer culture. It highlights the convergence of artistic skill, industrial production, and marketing, blurring the lines between art and advertising.