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

This small chromolithograph was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1886, as part of a series of military figures used to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. But what does this image of a German infantryman tell us about the social and political landscape of the late 19th century? Germany, newly unified after the Franco-Prussian War, was flexing its military muscle. This card, with its detailed depiction of the soldier's uniform and weaponry, reflects a broader cultural fascination with military power and national identity. The inclusion of the smoking pipe is interesting: it reveals the normalisation of smoking in that period. Cigarettes and military service become intertwined with ideals of masculinity. To fully understand the image, we need to consider its original context. Advertising trade cards like these were designed to be collected and traded, circulating images of national pride and military strength to a wide audience. By researching Kinney Brother's business practices and marketing strategies, along with period sources, we can get a better idea of the complex relationship between commerce, culture, and the construction of national identity in this era.