Field Marshal, Germany, 1886, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This lithograph of Field Marshal, Germany, 1886, was made by the Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Chromolithography, the process used to make this image, allowed for affordable color printing on a mass scale. This was achieved by using multiple lithographic stones, each inked with a different color, and carefully aligned to create a layered image. The result is a detailed, eye-catching portrait designed to appeal to consumers. These cards were essentially miniature artworks distributed as promotional items, and reveal the intersection of industrial production, marketing, and popular culture in the late 19th century. The image also speaks to broader social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The company benefited from the labor of factory workers who mass-produced these cards and the tobacco they advertised. By considering the materials, making process, and historical context of this chromolithograph, we can appreciate its significance beyond a simple advertisement, recognizing its place in the landscape of art, craft, and commerce.