The Swiss Guard, 1925 (colour litho)

The Swiss Guard is a small force of about 135 soldiers, maintained by the Holy See and responsible for the safety of the Pope, including the security and guarding the entrances of the Apostolic Palace; The Swiss Guard has served the popes since the 16th century; the striped uniform is by tradition the design of Michelangelo; from a series of illustrations of life in the Vatican, produced for the French market by Liebig as advertising trade cards; Liebig's meat extract, manufactured in Uruguay by Fray Bentos, became by the late 19th century a staple food in European homes and was extensively used in World War II;