Sidney Douglas Farrar, 1st Base, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Curator: The sepia tones give this portrait such a striking old-world feel. It’s a photographic print, dating back to 1888, titled "Sidney Douglas Farrar, 1st Base, Philadelphia," and it comes from the "Old Judge" series, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. It's now part of the collection here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, it’s the directness of his gaze that captures my attention. The man emanates a sense of stoic confidence. The brown monochrome palette unifies this entire historical piece. He's ready for anything, arms crossed in a protective gesture. Curator: Baseball cards like this one functioned as early forms of advertising. Think of them as miniature billboards promoting a particular brand of cigarettes. Placing Farrar in the composition was clever branding, since sports figures already symbolized masculinity, reliability, and trustworthiness to the masses at the time. Editor: So Farrar isn't merely a baseball player; he’s a symbolic figure co-opted to sell tobacco products. It would have been very powerful messaging back then. He almost resembles a stoic icon, arms crossed with the bat nearby. Curator: Exactly. The symbolic connection between athletes and a 'healthy lifestyle' feels darkly ironic today when viewed with hindsight about the damages caused by cigarettes, doesn't it? But even then, you might remember that baseball and smoking had an entangled and mutually reinforcing public relationship. Editor: And there is a nostalgia in those brown tones that works so effectively, that must have also been intentional. The sepia acts almost like a memory, mythologizing that exact moment in sporting and consumer culture history. It suggests reliability because it visually says: "We've been around and will continue to be." Curator: This piece really highlights the complicated relationship between commerce, celebrity, and the construction of cultural ideals in America during that era. Thanks for reminding us of its visual messaging as propaganda and also its role in shaping nostalgia, especially connected to sports and the tobacco industries.