Tobogganing, from the Games and Sports series (N165) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This chromolithograph, "Tobogganing" from the Games and Sports series, was created by Goodwin & Company as a cigarette card. Notice the recurring motif of head coverings and scarves in this image. What do these swaths of fabric signify? The head covering, once a marker of status or modesty, here transforms into an emblem of leisure and play. We see echoes of this motif throughout history; consider the Phrygian cap, symbol of freedom during the French Revolution. It reappears throughout history, each time imbued with a new layer of meaning, shaped by the collective memory and subconscious desires of the people. There is something primal and instinctual about the joy and thrill represented in this image, a connection that transcends cultural and historical boundaries, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. It is cyclical progression of a symbol, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in different historical contexts.