Mattimore, Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: Here we have an 1888 print by Goodwin & Company titled "Mattimore, Pitcher, Philadelphia Athletics, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes". It’s quite a sepia-toned portrait of a baseball player. What resonates with you when you look at it? Curator: I’m drawn to the interplay between the idealized portrait and the commercial nature of its origin. The baseball player, almost a classical hero in his stance, is juxtaposed with the 'Old Judge Cigarette Factory' label. It reminds us how image and commerce intertwined even then, each lending authority to the other. Consider the bat as a kind of scepter, imbuing him with power and societal position, conferred by both athleticism and advertisement. Editor: That's interesting! So the cigarette ad, itself, is functioning as a sort of symbol? Curator: Precisely. Cigarettes, in that era, signified sophistication and modernity. Linking Mattimore, a picture of sporting prowess, with Old Judge cigarettes, taps into desires and aspirations – the pursuit of excellence, virility, perhaps even immortality through association. It's a visual formula that's surprisingly persistent even today. Look at the careful framing - a clear visual syntax that would be easily readable in it's time. Editor: So the image speaks to a set of values, and links baseball success with the allure of the cigarette brand? Curator: Yes, the baseball player embodies the era’s ideals, but the cigarette whispers promises. And those promises link aspiration with acquisition – both the acquisition of athletic skill, and of the advertised cigarette. That small card becomes a powerful mirror reflecting and shaping cultural identity. How do you see its relevance today? Editor: It really makes you think about the symbols we still use to connect products with aspiration, that blend of who we are and what we want to be. I'll never look at advertising quite the same way.