Michael Cornelius Dorgan, Right Field, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: This image, from 1887, presents Michael Cornelius Dorgan, Right Field for the New York team, as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series, created by Goodwin & Company. Editor: The sepia tones give it a nostalgic wash, doesn't it? The overall feeling is stoic; his mustache, those eyes – they've seen a few innings, I'd wager. It's charming, though the aging gives it a certain solemnity. Curator: Indeed. This is an early example of a baseball card, intended to be included in packs of cigarettes. The monochromatic tones are a product of the early photographic printing processes, which often involved albumen prints and similar techniques. The crispness speaks volumes about the skill and care in producing these promotional images. Note how the vertical stripes on the uniform extend upward, drawing the eye to the brand's advertisement at the top of the frame. Editor: I am immediately struck by the subject’s stance, very erect, with the bat grounded almost like a walking stick, and his arms behind his back. The light and shadow play a bit around the face but more so around his forearms, accentuating its formal design. Do you see the emphasis of line there? The stripes repeat on the pants almost echo his top, adding rhythm, while his belt provides separation around his waist. He feels very posed. Curator: It speaks volumes about the era's photography, with its formal structure intended for commerce, and its ability to freeze and elevate the everyday—transforming a baseball player into a noteworthy, even iconic, image. Editor: I get that! Looking at Dorgan here, so captured, almost eternalized, feels a bit like uncovering a perfectly preserved antique. What strikes me, though, is thinking that someone, back then, collected these like art and cherished that. It closes some loop on time. Curator: It is the very definition of realism and genre painting combined with commercial necessity that makes this image so powerfully suggestive. It shows how even the simplest promotional pieces can unintentionally archive the humanity of an era.