Private, 1st Light Artillery, Massachusetts, V.M., from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company created this small chromolithograph to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It’s part of a series depicting members of the American military, with this image showing a private in the 1st Light Artillery of Massachusetts. These cards were produced in an era of increased industrialization and mass production and reflect a growing sense of national identity and pride, particularly after the Civil War. The image shows the soldier in a somewhat romanticized light. The meticulous detail in his uniform and the upright posture serve to create an image of respectability and authority. These cards were targeted at a predominantly male audience, with the military figure embodying ideals of masculinity, duty, and patriotism. But it's also worth noting that the commercial nature of the card complicates its patriotic message. In this way the card both reflects and reinforces the social and gender norms of the time.