Arms of the State of Massachusetts, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was printed by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It's an image of the Arms of the State of Massachusetts, part of a military series. The mode of production here is key. Chromolithography was a relatively new process at the time, allowing for mass production of colorful images. This card would have been one of many, churned out at low cost and included in cigarette packs. The result is a fascinating contrast: the subject matter is high-minded, referencing state symbols and military prowess, yet the image itself is a cheap giveaway. The image's inherent qualities, with its flat colors and simple lines, reflect this industrial production. Note how this lithograph flattens the traditional medium of heraldry into something easily reproducible. It's a reminder that even seemingly official imagery is always inflected by the means by which it is made, and the social context in which it circulates.