Jerry Denny, 3rd Base, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: Here we have an 1887 photograph titled "Jerry Denny, 3rd Base, Indianapolis," part of the "Old Judge" series by Goodwin & Company, originally made for cigarette cards. It’s a pretty straightforward portrait of a baseball player, very matter-of-fact. What do you see in this piece beyond that initial impression? Curator: It’s important to look beyond the surface. The image seems straightforward, but it is charged. Here, sport, capitalism, and ideals of masculinity all intersect in the making of this athletic figure. This baseball card existed as advertising material, a signifier for Old Judge Cigarettes. In this context, who does the image seek to target, and what ideas does it promote? Editor: So, you’re saying this image isn't just about baseball, but about constructing ideas around American identity, specifically masculinity? Curator: Precisely. How does the commercial aspect intertwine with constructions of heroism? We can also see the way that this format catered to a new market for photograph prints and portraits during a time of burgeoning advertising culture and increased interest in baseball. Editor: It’s strange to think that tobacco advertising helped create these representations of athletic heroes! It’s definitely something to consider, thinking about the economic forces at play in crafting these images. Curator: It really highlights how images can reflect and reinforce cultural values and assumptions that are specific to a moment in history. Understanding that power dynamic is a really important way to appreciate how meaning is constructed around the image, even now.