Brouthers, 1st Base, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This small, rectangular card featuring Brouthers, 1st Base for Boston, was produced by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. What immediately strikes the eye is the sepia tone that permeates the entire image, creating a sense of distance. The player stands centrally in the composition, his form rendered with a soft focus that suggests movement and action. The composition creates a tension between representation and surface, signifier and signified. This tension between surface and depth, image and object, is crucial. The card, as a commodity, straddles the line between art and commerce, representation and reality. It invites us to consider how such images function within broader cultural and economic systems. The card's structure reflects the evolving relationship between sport, celebrity culture, and consumerism, inviting ongoing interpretation as cultural values evolve.