Daley, Catcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card of Daley, Catcher for Indianapolis, was created by Goodwin & Company around 1888 as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The sepia-toned image shows Daley in his baseball uniform holding a ball aloft. The composition is carefully structured: Daley stands off-center, with his raised arm creating a dynamic diagonal that cuts through the static, rectangular format. This creates a visual tension, enhanced by the contrast between the softness of the faded background and the sharp lines of his uniform. The limited color palette, verging on monochrome, invites us to focus on the tonal gradations and the texture of the print itself. The flatness of the card challenges traditional perspective, reducing the figure to a set of formal relations. In its design, the card destabilizes the conventional portrait format. Rather than offering a window into the subject’s personality, it presents Daley as a graphic element. The image functions less as a representation of an individual and more as a sign within a larger commercial enterprise.