M.W. Ford, All Around Athlete, from World's Champions, Second Series (N43) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is "M.W. Ford, All Around Athlete," from 1888, a print for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. He looks… determined, with his arms crossed, but also a bit stiff. What stands out to you? Curator: It’s the eclectic collection of symbols around him that grabs my attention. We see the man, the athlete, framed by what reads like an allegorical representation of physical prowess. Notice how the visual language borrows from classical art and ancient athleticism – but repurposed here for the modern man through the lens of commercial advertising. Editor: Classical art? You mean the laurel wreaths? Curator: More than that. Consider the diamond shapes behind the athlete, echoing ancient Greek key patterns found on pottery and architecture. The stylized palm fronds evoke victory and paradise, familiar images from antiquity to contemporary use, think about church iconography for instance. This card isn’t just selling cigarettes; it's selling an idealized version of manhood and American ambition. Editor: So it’s borrowing those older symbols to give the athlete more importance? Almost like an aura of… heritage? Curator: Precisely. It suggests a connection to a longer, venerated history, subtly implying that M.W. Ford isn't just an athlete, but an inheritor of noble traditions, now attainable through dedication – and, perhaps, the right brand of cigarettes. And it goes to show you that these symbols retain their power to resonate through very different cultural settings. What do you make of that winged foot emblem on his shirt? Editor: Oh, yeah. Is that a reference to Hermes, the messenger god? So, speed, agility... Wow, there’s so much going on here, visually and conceptually! It definitely changes how I see what seems, on the surface, just like an advertisement. Curator: Exactly! That intersection – where commercial intent meets historical and cultural symbolism – is often where the richest layers of meaning reside.