Earl of Sutherland, Scotland, 1759, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This color lithograph of the Earl of Sutherland was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company around 1888, as part of a series of cards included in packs of Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. At the time, the United States was experiencing rapid industrialization and urbanization, along with a surge of immigration from Europe. In the face of modernization, there was a nostalgic interest in the past and in traditional forms of life. This card, part of a “Military Series,” reflects that impulse, offering consumers a romantic vision of Scottish history and culture, through the figure of a Scottish Earl in traditional Highland dress. The Earl’s tartan kilt, sporran, and bonnet are signifiers of Scottish identity, while the thistle, the national flower of Scotland, serves as a backdrop. This small card can tell us a lot about the social and cultural context in which it was made, and about the ways in which images can be used to construct and promote particular ideas and values. Historians can research old newspapers, advertisements, and company records, as well as looking at the cultural trends and social attitudes of the time.