Young Bibby (George Mehling), Wrestler, from World's Champions, Series 1 (N28) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1887

Curator: What immediately strikes me about this piece is the almost classical depiction of idealized male strength—there's something heroic in his crossed arms and upward gaze. Editor: This chromolithograph, produced in 1887 by Allen & Ginter, captures the wrestler George "Young Bibby" Mehling. It was part of a series of athletes featured on cigarette cards. It’s currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: The visual composition is striking. The figure is centered, almost filling the frame. The limited color palette of rosy skin tones against the light blue background adds to its iconic feel, drawing attention to his muscular form. There's a balance and harmony. Editor: Absolutely, but considering its placement on a cigarette card, we should remember the cultural context. These images, traded and collected by men, reinforced certain ideals of masculinity linked to physical prowess, competition, and even class. Curator: Do you find a sense of the theatrical in the way his muscles are accentuated by light and shadow? He has the garb of some gladiator—it calls to mind ideas of struggle and strength… the hypermasculine ideal in material culture. Editor: Definitely, and don't forget the branding. Allen & Ginter associated their product with successful athletes like Bibby. The card serves as both a commercial object and a snapshot of the socio-cultural values of the time. This promotion intersected with the rampant exploitation of athletes from various minority backgrounds to create cultural commodities in service of bolstering industry moguls. Curator: Thinking about color as form here too… it almost borders on caricature... There are layers and tensions embedded in the very colors chosen here—even in this promotional art. Editor: Exactly, and understanding these layers allows us to critically examine not just the artwork, but also the values it promoted and the power structures that shaped its creation and distribution. Curator: Examining the details of execution has added another layer for me as well. Editor: It’s a potent reminder of the many histories and perspectives intertwined within a single image.