Royal Guard, Sweden, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was made in 1886 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to advertise Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. It’s part of a series depicting military figures from around the world, reflecting a late 19th-century fascination with military power and national identity. Here we see a Swedish Royal Guard, standing rigidly to attention with his rifle. Consider how the image creates meaning through visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. The uniform is meticulously detailed, suggesting the might of the Swedish monarchy. But it's also an advert, one of many commercial images that shaped public perceptions of different nations. The card participates in the glorification of military culture that was so common at the time. To truly understand this image, we need to consider its place in the history of advertising and the social function of tobacco. Resources like trade catalogs, company records, and period newspapers would help us understand its circulation and impact. Remember, art like this doesn't exist in a vacuum. Its meaning is always shaped by the social and institutional context in which it was made and consumed.