Officer of Infantry, Spain, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph of a Spanish infantry officer comes from a series issued by the Kinney Tobacco Company as a promotional item for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were part of a late 19th-century craze for collecting, but they also worked to associate a brand with powerful and prestigious imagery. Here, the associations are of military might and imperial reach. The figure is depicted in a highly stylized manner, emphasizing the clean lines of the uniform and the upright posture of the officer. Note how the artist focuses on the details of rank and status. Given Spain’s colonial history, particularly in the Americas and the Philippines, this image would have had a specific resonance. The card doesn't just sell cigarettes; it sells an idea of Spanish power and authority, likely for both a US and a Spanish market. Understanding this image involves looking into both the history of advertising and the history of Spanish colonialism, as well as the relationship between the two. It’s a reminder that even the most seemingly innocuous images can be packed with social and political meaning.