The Pitcher, "Just watch me twist it," from the Terrors of America set (N136) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888 - 1889

This chromolithograph from the Terrors of America set, was made around 1888 by W. Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco. The young barefoot pitcher dominates the composition. The artist has posed him mid-throw, capturing the torque of his body. The design of the card creates an interesting play of figure and ground. The background features a complex array of swirling, ornamental patterns in muted blues and reds, which both frame and set off the central figure. The pitcher himself is rendered with soft, almost idealized features. His clothes, however, suggest a different reality, hinting at the social context of labor and childhood in late 19th-century America. While the card functions as an advertisement, its visual construction also prompts reflection on the role of labor in society. The idealized figure in contrast with his tattered clothing suggests tensions between representation, social class, and commercial messaging. The card prompts us to consider the semiotic interplay between image, text, and consumer culture in shaping perceptions of childhood, labor, and American identity.