Fred "Sure Shot" Dunlap, Captain, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "Fred 'Sure Shot' Dunlap, Captain, Pittsburgh" from the Old Judge series, made in 1888 by Goodwin & Company. It's a photographic print, seemingly a promotional card for Old Judge Cigarettes. The subject's presentation is intriguing – a portrait seemingly still in motion. What aspects stand out to you? Curator: Immediately, the image demands that we consider its context within the rise of consumer culture. Note how the materiality of the photographic print itself becomes a vehicle for advertising, blurring the lines between art, sport, and commerce. The very act of creating and distributing these cards facilitated the popularization of baseball alongside the Old Judge Cigarettes brand. It prompts us to consider who labored to produce these images and under what conditions were these items circulated. Editor: So, it's not just a photograph of a baseball player; it's part of a larger system of production and consumption? Curator: Precisely. We can analyze the image not merely for its aesthetic qualities or even its historical significance, but as an artifact embedded in specific economic and social networks. How do you think the mass production of such images altered perceptions of athletes and the game itself? Did it democratize or commodify fame? Editor: That’s a great point! I hadn't considered the labor and the implications for the subject as well as the brand’s rise. It makes me see the photo in a whole new, less romantic and more critical light. Thanks! Curator: Indeed! It highlights the intrinsic connection between art, industry, and society at that pivotal time. A new awareness has dawned for me too.