General, Cavalry, France, 17th Century, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph card, titled "General, Cavalry, France, 17th Century," was created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The image is a study in contrasts and juxtapositions, defined by a patterned background and a richly detailed figure in the foreground. The artist employs bold color choices, setting up a visual push and pull, to draw the viewer's eye across the composition. Note the geometric background and the striking red stripe that cuts through the upper half, creating a dynamic tension with the figure. This deliberate structure destabilizes the conventional portrait, inviting us to consider the interplay between representation and abstraction. The artist makes a clear cultural statement about class and status, referencing the semiotic system of signs through the clothing of the subject. The artwork does not offer a fixed meaning but opens a space for dialogue and critical engagement.