Captain, 13th Hussars, England, 1879, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This promotional card by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company depicts a Captain of the 13th Hussars in England, 1879. The Captain’s uniform is laden with symbols of authority and militaristic might: the elaborate braiding, the gleaming sword, and the imposing headdress all speak to power and status. Consider the sash, diagonally crossing the Captain's chest. This echoes the ancient Roman toga, a symbol of citizenship and civic duty, and the bandoliers worn by early modern soldiers, carrying ammunition. Here, it is repurposed as a purely decorative marker of rank, losing its original functional or civic meaning. The collective memory of military prowess remains, however. Such displays engage our primal instincts. The uniform triggers our collective, subconscious understanding of hierarchical structures and military strength. This imagery has resurfaced and evolved, losing utility but gaining new layers of meaning within the ever-shifting cultural landscape.