Private, 14th Regiment, New York State Militia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have a chromolithograph from 1888 by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, titled "Private, 14th Regiment, New York State Militia." It's an advertisement, essentially, for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. What strikes me most is how...formal he is, yet he's an advert. I'm curious, what do you see when you look at this image? Curator: Well, my first thought always circles back to the "why?" Why *this* image to sell cigarettes? I see it as an assertion of idealized American masculinity at the time. It’s an image wrapped up in notions of duty and citizen-soldier identity. Tell me, what pops into your head when I say "citizen-soldier"? Editor: Someone ready to protect, like a symbol of reassurance. So using that as an advert makes you trust the product maybe? Curator: Precisely. It hints at ideas about patriotism and stability which brands love. Though there is also something a little...off, isn't there? The stylization, the almost cartoonish representation. It hints at another narrative layer, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Oh, yes! The exaggeration! It reminds me of old political cartoons—but gentler. Curator: Exactly. These were designed to appeal broadly, offering a sense of connection. They are simple images, made more interesting by their wider historical context. That connection is vital. Anything that surprised you as we explored the work? Editor: That it uses something as complicated as patriotism just to sell a pack of smokes! Shows the power of images I guess. Curator: Indeed. And how the everyday is entangled in narratives far bigger than itself.