Lowe, 2nd Base, Boston, from Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball series (N300) 1895

This monochromatic print of Lowe, 2nd Base, Boston, comes from the Mayo's Cut Plug Baseball series, produced by P.H. Mayo & Brother of Richmond, Virginia. The portrait is framed by a dark border, setting off the sepia tones of the figure and background. The composition is split into thirds by the text at the bottom, with the athlete at the top. Lowe is shown in his baseball uniform. The word 'Boston' is emblazoned across his chest and the lacing of his uniform draws the eye down to the advertisements for chewing and smoking tobacco. As a formal study, the commercial elements work in harmony with the subject. The image itself, while ostensibly a celebration of athleticism, is also a signifier deeply embedded in the commercial structures of its time. It invites us to question the relationship between representation, commerce, and cultural values in the construction of celebrity. The card is a potent reminder that artistic meaning is not fixed but evolves.