William Shenkel, Pitcher, Milwaukee, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is William Shenkel, pitcher for Milwaukee, captured in a photograph around 1888, part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The gesture he makes with his hands, preparing to hurl the ball, is what captures my attention. It’s a gesture we can trace back through time, echoing in images of ancient warriors preparing to cast spears, or even gods wielding thunderbolts. The concentration, the coiled energy before release, it's a primal posture. Think of Michelangelo's David, poised, ready to unleash his stone. The image of the athlete is a recurring motif in modern times that connects to the heroic ideal, from the Greek Olympic statues to Leni Riefenstahl's glorification of the body in the Nazi Olympics. Perhaps, subconsciously, we imbue athletes with a kind of mythical power, tapping into deep-seated needs for heroes and symbols of strength. The gesture becomes a conduit to this primal, subconscious desire for power, capturing our attention across centuries.