Corporal of Zouaves, France, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as an advertisement for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It depicts a Corporal of Zouaves, a branch of the French army known for its distinctive North African-inspired uniforms. These cards were made during a time of increasing French colonialism. Zouaves, initially composed of North African soldiers, later included Europeans, yet they retained their exoticized dress. The image thus speaks to France's complicated relationship with its colonies, simultaneously celebrating and appropriating foreign cultures. It also encouraged a sense of national pride. The commercial image flattens complex histories into easily consumed images, subtly promoting imperialist narratives alongside tobacco products. Consider the power dynamics inherent in such representations, and how the commodification of cultural imagery continues to shape our perceptions today.