Foot Lancer, France, 16th Century, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company produced this trade card of a French Foot Lancer in the 1880s as part of a series promoting Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were collected and traded, offering glimpses into how history and identity were marketed during the late 19th century. The image depicts a soldier in what we understand to be typical 16th-century attire: feathered hat, tunic, and sword. Yet, it’s crucial to recognize that this is a commercial representation, filtered through the lens of American consumer culture. Consider the romanticized depiction of military figures, and how these images might have shaped perceptions of valor and national identity. Moreover, the card implicitly connects this idealized vision of European history to the consumption of tobacco, subtly intertwining notions of masculinity, sophistication, and leisure with imperial and colonial narratives. The Foot Lancer becomes a symbol, not just of French military history, but also of the global reach of American commerce and its power to shape cultural imagination.