William "Bill" Frederick Krieg, 1st Base, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: Welcome. Here we have an albumen print from 1887 by Goodwin & Company, titled "William 'Bill' Frederick Krieg, 1st Base, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes." It is currently located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Wow, that’s a mouthful! My first impression is pure nostalgia, even though I wasn't around in 1887. It's a wonderfully captured moment. He looks so focused, you can almost hear the crowd cheering... or maybe that's just the static from an old radio. Curator: Observe how the photographic technique emphasizes texture, particularly in the player's uniform. There is a deliberate juxtaposition of the smooth surface of the ball and the roughness of his knitted stockings. It exemplifies period aesthetics. Editor: True, there is a beautiful interplay of rough and smooth. But more than that, to me, it's the timelessness of the action—that ready pose. I see a guy completely absorbed. Does this connect with viewers today, I wonder? It lacks slick modern production. Curator: Its impact lies in its artlessness, perhaps. Its composition reveals early formal elements of photography where capturing a perfect game in portraiture style highlights industrialised recreation and manufacturing culture, as much as individual athletes and sport. Editor: Ah, now I get it! It's not just about the player but the historical intersection of marketing, early baseball mania, and photographic tech! It feels almost subversive how commonplace items—cigarettes—elevate him and his baseball skills onto almost mythological plane through artful ads. The effect transcends decades. Curator: A fine and penetrating observation. Editor: Thanks—the image provoked me.