Man-of-War's Man, Spain, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1886 to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. This card, from the Military Series, depicts a Spanish naval seaman, and we can see the ways mass production intersects with representation. Chromolithography, the process used to make this card, involves using multiple lithographic stones, each bearing a different color, to produce a full-color image. It was a relatively inexpensive and efficient way to create colorful images at scale, perfectly suited for mass-produced advertising. The image itself reflects a specific kind of late 19th-century masculinity: a hardy, working-class man, standing confidently with hand on hip. What’s interesting is how this image, created through a process of industrial reproduction, helps to construct and circulate ideas about national identity and class. So, remember, when we look at images like this, we're not just seeing a picture, we're seeing the product of a complex set of industrial processes, cultural values, and economic forces.