Trumpeter Cossack, Russia, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

The Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company produced this chromolithograph of a Trumpeter Cossack in Russia in 1886, as part of a series to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The figure is presented in full military dress, dominated by a striking contrast between the red trousers and the gold jacket, designed to catch the eye. The composition is structured by strong vertical lines, from the standing figure to the plume on the hat, offset by the diagonal sash. The artist, or rather, the company, uses color not for naturalistic representation but as a symbolic code: the gold signifies prestige, while the red perhaps alludes to military strength. This formal arrangement transcends mere portraiture, functioning instead as a cultural signifier within a specific economy. Consider how the chromolithographic process, with its flat planes of color, simplifies form to emphasize graphic impact. This aesthetic flattens depth, turning the image into a field of signs rather than an illusion of reality. The purpose is clear: to associate the glamour and authority of the Tsarist military with the consumption of tobacco.