T.W. Doswell, from the Racing Colors of the World series (N22b) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Curator: We're looking at "T.W. Doswell," part of the "Racing Colors of the World" series created by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes in 1888. It’s currently held here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by the colour. That bright ochre dominates, but it’s not a flat expanse; there's a subtle layering of darker hues that imply depth and movement. The stark white breeches provide a crucial contrast. Curator: Indeed. Allen & Ginter used these cards as trade inserts in their cigarette packs, and this is a print, based on a drawing likely executed in colored pencil. Editor: The subject, presumably the jockey Doswell, is interesting from a symbolic perspective. Notice how the figure gazes back at us, drawing us into the narrative of equestrian sport as an aspirational symbol of its time. The somewhat exaggerated turn of the neck adds to the intimate but slightly detached air. Curator: And consider the format. It imitates Japanese Ukiyo-e prints which is quite fashionable then and lends it a delicate, exotic quality. Editor: Ukiyo-e certainly served as a potent shorthand for sophistication. Also the lines suggesting a stadium and an indication of speed gives us dynamism within the rather restrained composition. Those rods look dangerous. Curator: The material context informs much here. As a promotional object, the aim was visibility; hence, the choice of strong colours and clear representational style to depict a recognisable racing personality. The racing silks are themselves symbolic, signifiers of wealth, belonging, and legacy. Editor: What's really interesting is how, through careful chromatic variation and an engagement with popular artistic movements, it elevates what would otherwise have been a mundane piece of advertising into something quite captivating and even artistically suggestive. Curator: Absolutely, viewing Doswell allows us to analyse design strategies from the past, that helped transform utilitarian items into valued collectables, giving us a new lens on consumption patterns. Editor: Precisely! It highlights the interplay between sport, design, and commerce—a relationship still going strong today.