Infighting, Joe Goddard and Joe Chovinski, from the Boxing Positions and Boxers series (N266) issued by P. Lorillard Company to promote Red Cross Long Cut Tobacco 1893

This advertisement card featuring Joe Goddard and Joe Chovinski was created by the P. Lorillard Company to promote Red Cross Long Cut Tobacco. The fighters stand poised, their fists raised in the archetypal stance of combat, a posture that echoes through millennia. Consider the ritualistic combat depicted here: fists clenched, bodies tensed, a dance of aggression and defense. We see reflections of this primordial scene across history, from the duels of ancient gladiators to the heroic struggles of Achilles and Hector. The belt worn by the boxers is a symbol. It is reminiscent of ancient warriors. This belt transcends its utilitarian function, becoming an emblem of honor, reminiscent of the belts worn by ancient Greek athletes. Note how the simple act of binding the waist is transformed into a symbol, a psychological anchor that connects these modern pugilists to a lineage of warriors stretching back through time. Through time, this image persists in our collective memory.