Order Pour le Merite, Prussia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph promoting Sweet Caporal Cigarettes pictures the Prussian Order Pour le Merite. The design is striking: A central medallion of a gold eagle surrounded by concentric circles of red, gold and sky blue creates a focal point, enhanced by the bold red background. The composition invites a semiotic analysis. The Prussian eagle, a potent signifier of power and authority, is framed by the words "Merite" and "Pour le," signaling prestige. The color choices are not arbitrary: red, often associated with bravery, contrasts with the tranquil blue, which suggests loyalty. Ribbons, which symbolize honor, repeat the blue, thereby unifying the visual field. However, the image is destabilized by its context as a commercial advertisement. The alignment of military honor with a tobacco product disrupts traditional hierarchies of value. This tension between high cultural symbols and everyday consumerism invites us to question fixed categories and reflect on how meaning is constructed through both visual and cultural codes.