Porter, Pitcher, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887 - 1890

Curator: This gelatin silver print comes from the "Old Judge" series of baseball cards, produced by Goodwin & Company between 1887 and 1890. It's titled "Porter, Pitcher, Brooklyn," named for both the subject and his team. Editor: What strikes me is the composition. There’s a quietness to it. A poised stillness before the storm of a game. You can almost feel the weight of that old bat in his hands, the sun beating down. Curator: The card exemplifies the photographic conventions of the late 19th century, focusing on portraiture to convey information and social status. Notice the meticulous attention to detail, particularly in the rendering of his uniform, and the sharp contrast achieved with gelatin silver. Editor: Absolutely, and there's a beautiful tonal quality to the aged paper – that soft sepia wash gives it such a nostalgic pull, doesn’t it? And framing that idealized player image in this way as a premium for something like cigarettes is such an unexpectedly touching artifact from the American past. Curator: Indeed, its dual function as a collectible and advertisement speaks to a broader cultural context, blurring the lines between sport, commerce, and visual representation. What seems curious to me is how well it survives conceptually today. We see many contemporary art practices rooted in just such historical marketing strategies. Editor: Thinking of it as something like early appropriation, I'm touched by this baseball player and his equipoise here. He's more than just an athlete. The cigarette advertisement on the front speaks of Americana, celebrity and the rise of big business; our hero then is at this curious point of intersection between hard-laborer, commodity, and national symbol. I see the beauty in how he embodies and surpasses that role. Curator: It presents, ultimately, an intriguing intersection of sport, photography, and consumer culture, offering valuable insights into the aesthetic values and social dynamics of the late 19th century. Editor: Right. Looking closely reminds me of the power found in the quiet corners of the past. We could say the aesthetic force and intrigue resides, somewhat surprisingly, with Porter and Brooklyn, with gelatin and silver.