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

This late 19th century lithograph, "Bowling, from the Games and Sports series," by Goodwin & Company, was created as a promotional item for Old Judge Cigarettes. The image offers us insight into the era's culture and gender dynamics. The card juxtaposes two separate spheres: a close-up of an idealized woman and, in the background, a group of men bowling. The woman, adorned with pearls and flowers, embodies beauty and refinement, in contrast to the active, public sphere of men's recreation. This division reinforces the period's restrictive social norms, where women were largely confined to the domestic realm. This depiction is complicated by the presence of the American flag in the background, seemingly alluding to freedom and opportunity. Yet this promise was not universally available. These cards, designed to be collected and traded, circulated widely, reinforcing cultural ideals and aspirations, but also revealing the complexities and contradictions inherent in America's vision of itself.