Private, Howitzer Company, 4th Regiment, New Jersey, 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 to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Here, we see a soldier from the Howitzer Company, whose helmet’s spike and sword are representative of military might and honor. The pickelhaube helmet, initially a symbol of Prussian military prowess, became a ubiquitous motif across armies worldwide. Interestingly, the helmet's design echoes earlier classical forms, like the Corinthian helmet of ancient Greece. This evokes ideas of heroism and martial tradition. Notice how the soldier's poised hand mirrors gestures found in classical oratory and Renaissance portraiture, suggesting leadership and command. This iconography serves to ennoble the figure, connecting him to a lineage of authority and respect. The sword, an emblem of justice and power, has roots stretching back to antiquity, yet here, it is softened. It is as if the collective memory of these symbols is subtly reshaped by the commercial purpose of the card. This once potent imagery is now elegantly repurposed to sell cigarettes, blurring the lines between past glory and contemporary consumption.