John P. "Monk" Cline, Right Field, Sioux City Corn Huskers, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This photographic print of baseball player John P. “Monk” Cline was made by Goodwin & Company in the late 1880s, as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. These cards were originally printed on thin paper stock, using albumen silver prints, and then mounted on slightly thicker card stock. The photograph's sepia tone tells us about the developing process, which involved coating the paper with light-sensitive chemicals, exposing it to light using a negative, and then fixing and washing the print. The production of these cards was tied to a broader culture of consumption, where images of athletes were used to promote products like cigarettes. The company mass produced the cards, which speaks to the rise of industrial capitalism and the use of photography for commercial purposes. The worn edges and slight imperfections of the card, as well as the labor involved in its making, invite us to reconsider what we value in art and everyday culture.