Two servicemen in uniform, one passing an apple

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Two uniformed men stand together in this scene, and one hands the other an apple, a small gesture that gives the picture its character. Images like this come from the fruit crate label tradition, when growers and shippers printed colorful paper labels to make their apples stand out in crowded markets. Labels often paired the fruit with people, places, and everyday moments to appeal to buyers, so a scene of soldiers suggests the designer was tapping into the mood or topics of its day. Look closely at the uniforms and the apple itself, since those details reveal how the label was meant to be read.

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