Saxon Uhlan, Germany, 1880, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have "Saxon Uhlan, Germany, 1880," a print created around 1888 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company. The detail on such a small image is pretty striking. It's almost cartoonish in its precise rendering, yet evokes this air of authority. What leaps out at you when you see this, honestly? Curator: Well, for starters, the juxtaposition of 'military might' and 'cigarette promotion' is quite the thought experiment, isn't it? Makes you wonder what kind of subliminal messages they were trying to puff out. I see a carefully constructed image, undeniably handsome in its old-world way. The fellow, with his meticulous uniform, stands so proper. But look closer. Is that confidence in his eyes or… a subtle flicker of self-doubt? It's all rather performative, wouldn't you say? Editor: Performative in what way? Curator: Think of the uniform as costume, a statement, and not necessarily reflective of inner character. The very idea of romanticizing soldiers was en vogue in those years... Does the commercial nature diminish it? Or does it offer another layer, questioning our very understanding of heroism? Editor: That's a great point. It’s like they are selling you an image of strength tied with their cigarettes! I hadn't considered it that way. So much more to it than first meets the eye. Curator: Exactly! Advertising often sells more than the product itself, a story, an aspiration… Makes you wonder what future archaeologists will make of *our* ads!