Corporal of Fusileers, France, 18th Century, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph of a French Fusilier, made by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company, presents us with a striking image defined by its composition of rigid lines and vibrant colors. The figure is sharply outlined against a backdrop split between a muted gold and a vivid pink, an odd juxtaposition that heightens the visual impact. Note how the soldier's uniform, rendered in meticulous detail, displays a hierarchy of colors, with blues and reds connoting status and authority. The verticality of the rifle, held rigidly, emphasizes the soldier's posture, conveying discipline and readiness. The print operates within a semiotic system where each element—from the uniform's cut to the rifle's length—signifies aspects of military identity and power. However, by producing this image for commercial purposes, the Kinney Brothers also engage with the commodification of identity, blurring lines between military prestige and consumer culture. The rigid form of the soldier, framed within the commercial logic of advertising, serves not just to represent but also to sell, inviting us to consider how identity itself can be structured and consumed.