Infantry, Prussia, 1840, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Curator: Here we have “Infantry, Prussia, 1840” from the Military Series, an 1888 chromolithograph by Kinney Tobacco Company, originally inserted in packs of Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Editor: My first impression is one of a rigid elegance, the stark contrast between the dark uniform and pale breeches lending a stylized air. Curator: Precisely. Kinney Brothers employed color and detailed line work to offer consumers attractive premiums that highlighted military figures of the time. These cigarette cards became quite a fad! Editor: The sword he carries almost appears as more decoration than a weapon, it adds a rather gallant aura overall. Can we really say, this dapper image is one we associate with soldiers these days? Curator: That's the clever thing about this sort of ephemera, isn’t it? It offers insight into how institutions like the military projected power and prestige at a given historical moment, which seems so very different from today. Editor: The tall, feathered hat also seems an obvious display of power—perhaps not meant to intimidate on the battlefield but more in service of pomp and display for patriotic spectacle. Curator: A spectacle directly connected with trade! Consider how this illustration collapses high-end portraiture and nationalistic fervor with everyday consumption of mass-produced products like cigarettes. The role of art is certainly always changing. Editor: Absolutely, seeing how symbols of power change function in relation to consumerism gives me a perspective of where visual culture may evolve towards in the future. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure, let's see how else our visual language might guide or mislead us.