Zouave, France, 1853, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1853 as part of a series to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It depicts a French Zouave soldier. The French army recruited Zouaves from Northern Africa, particularly Algeria. Their distinct uniforms, marked by baggy trousers, short open-fronted jackets, and oriental headwear, reflected this origin. During the 19th century, the French empire expanded into parts of Africa and Asia. Tobacco companies would often utilize images of soldiers from around the world to market their products. The idealized image flattens any sense of the realities of military life, and the experience of the colonized. Although small, this card presents a window into how identity, race, and nation were carefully manufactured and commodified in support of colonial ambitions. It invites us to reflect on the power of representation and the stories that are told and left untold.