Cymbalier, French Guard, 1786, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is 'Cymbalier, French Guard, 1786' from the Military Series, a promotional card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The rhythmic interplay of red, white and blue stripes against a neutral ground immediately catches the eye. The structural arrangement is striking: a central figure adorned in elaborate garb, symmetrically balanced, yet dynamically posed with cymbals raised. The crisp lines and flat colour planes reduce depth. The figure's attire is rich with semiotic potential. It may evoke notions of exoticism and military pageantry, while the rhythmic repetition of stripes and geometric forms destabilizes any singular reading. The stylized representation reduces the individual to a set of signifiers, questioning the viewer's assumptions about identity and representation. Ultimately, the card functions as a cultural artifact. The layering of visual signs—military symbolism, exotic attire, and advertising—invites us to consider how meanings are constructed and circulated within a specific historical context.