Jimmy Carroll, Pugilist, from World's Champions, Series 1 (N28) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

This chromolithograph of Jimmy Carroll, the pugilist, was produced by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes, of Richmond, Virginia, as one of a series of promotional cards included in their cigarette packs. The cards depict a range of popular athletes, actors, and other celebrities; their purpose was to encourage brand loyalty. This particular image offers insight into the commercialization of sport in the late 19th century. While Carroll's physique reflects the popular interest in physical culture, it is also a testament to the rise of consumer culture at this time. The Allen and Ginter company, like many other tobacco companies, recognized the appeal of associating their product with the glamour of success. By producing images like this one, they participated in the construction of celebrity and cultivated a desire among consumers to emulate their heroes. To understand the social and institutional contexts of art like this, we need to do more research. Consult advertisements, newspapers, and business records from the period. Only then can we fully grasp the social and cultural forces that shaped its creation and reception.