Bill Kuehne, 3rd Base, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This photographic print of Bill Kuehne was produced as a promotional card for Old Judge Cigarettes, around 1888. These cards capture a moment when baseball was rapidly gaining popularity in the United States, reflecting broader social and cultural shifts. The image itself, with Kuehne posed in his uniform, speaks to the emerging celebrity culture surrounding athletes. But it also hints at the commercial forces at play; these cards were not just about celebrating sports, but about selling tobacco. Goodwin & Company, the cigarette manufacturer, leveraged the popularity of baseball to market its products, embedding itself within the cultural fabric of the time. Understanding this image requires looking at the history of American consumer culture and the rise of professional sports. One might consult advertising archives, sports history journals, and sociological studies of leisure and consumption in the late 19th century. Approaching art from this perspective reminds us that images are not neutral; they reflect and shape the social and institutional contexts in which they are created.