Fred Wood, Cyclist, from World's Champions, Series 2 (N29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1888

Fred Wood, Cyclist, was produced by Allen & Ginter for their series of cigarette cards, likely using lithography, a process of printing from a flat stone or metal plate. The mass-produced nature of this card is key to its meaning; as these cards were created as collectibles to be included within cigarette packs, they were printed in vast quantities. Lithography allowed for relatively quick and cheap reproduction, perfectly suiting the needs of a rapidly industrializing society where consumer goods were becoming increasingly abundant. And here, the worlds of sport, celebrity, and commodity merge. Fred Wood's image, carefully rendered through the printing process, became a token in the marketplace, circulating alongside the addictive product it was packaged with. The card itself is a testament to the rise of consumer culture and the creative strategies used to promote and sell goods. This seemingly humble piece of paper thus invites us to consider how art is deeply interwoven with the social and economic forces that shape our world.