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

This small lithograph, produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, depicts a soldier of the 1st Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, from their Military Series. Notice the rifle held across his body, a symbol of readiness. Weapons, like the soldier's rifle, are ever-present symbols of humanity’s primal instincts. From ancient spears to modern firearms, they reflect both our will to protect and our capacity for destruction. Think of the recurrence of weapons in the hands of gods and heroes throughout millennia, from the thunderbolt of Zeus to the sword of Perseus. In classical antiquity, Mars, the God of War, was always represented with his spear. Here, the soldier's steady grip on his rifle evokes similar emotions of readiness, but also latent aggression. This symbol resonates through time, tapping into our collective memory.