Clark Calvin "Old Fox" Griffith, Pitcher, Milwaukee, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Goodwin & Company produced this small, sepia-toned photograph of Clark Calvin "Old Fox" Griffith, a pitcher for Milwaukee, as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The photograph has a structure and composition that is dictated by the need to produce and reproduce many images. The visual experience is one of a controlled, almost rigid posture. Griffith stands poised, the baseball held precisely in front of his chest, his gaze direct. The composition is symmetrical. His body bisects the frame, creating balance. It is interesting to consider this work as a precursor to modern commercial photography, where the subject's individuality is secondary to the product being advertised. Griffith becomes a sign, his image a visual cue linked to the Old Judge brand. The very form of the photograph embodies the commercial forces at play, a tension between art and industry.