Purcell, Captain, Baltimore Orioles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card of Purcell, Captain of the Baltimore Orioles, produced by Goodwin & Company around 1888, part of the "Old Judge Cigarettes" series. The sepia tone lends a nostalgic feel, flattening the image, and rendering the figure and ground into similar tonal registers. The composition is structured by the strong diagonal of Purcell's body, balanced by the gentle curve of his raised arm. The texture, though seemingly simple, reveals subtle details upon closer inspection – the grainy quality of the photograph, the smooth surface of the card itself, and the typography at the bottom of the card which provide additional layers of meaning. The action shot freezes Purcell mid-motion, embodying the dynamic spirit of baseball within a static form. The card's inherent structure—a rectangle framing a moment in time—serves not only to capture an image but also to commodify it. Each element from the player’s stance to the texture of the card contributes to a complex interplay between representation and commerce. Ultimately, it’s a cultural artifact, preserving a moment, a player, and a bygone era of American history.