Fisherman, from the Occupations for Women series (N166) for Old Judge and Dogs Head Cigarettes 1887

Goodwin & Company made this chromolithograph trading card for Old Judge and Dogs Head Cigarettes, around the turn of the century. Part of the "Occupations for Women" series, it presents a curious vision of women's roles. Here we have a woman in a fashionable, yet impractical, striped bathing suit and elaborate hat, wading in the water with a fishing rod. Consider the context: in an era of rapid industrialization and shifting social norms, representations of women were fraught with tension. These cards, distributed with tobacco products, reflect a society grappling with the changing roles of women, even as they seemingly reinforce traditional gender norms. The image hints at a world where women could participate in leisure activities, yet the overtly feminine attire and pose underscores the commercial, and perhaps, performative nature of this depiction. The card presents a romanticized vision of labor, far removed from the realities of working-class women. It’s a reminder of how images can simultaneously reflect and distort societal expectations.