Clarence Whistler, Champion Light Weight Wrestler, from the Champions of Games and Sports series (N184, Type 2) issued by W.S. Kimball & Co. 1887

Editor: Here we have "Clarence Whistler, Champion Light Weight Wrestler," a print from 1887 by W.S. Kimball & Co. It’s small, a portrait up top and a wrestling scene below… The style reminds me of baseball cards or something, kind of idealized but… almost comically so? What jumps out at you? Curator: Comical is interesting. I find myself thinking about the tension between celebrating physical prowess and representing it in this rather… contained, almost dainty way. This was part of a series, right? "Champions of Games and Sports." These cards were essentially advertisements, but they also tapped into a rising interest in athleticism and celebrity culture. So, it's about selling tobacco, yes, but it's also selling a vision of ideal manhood, packaged for mass consumption. Don’t you think it is more than comical though? Do you find a hidden intention here? Editor: I see what you mean about idealized manhood... and that hidden intention of commodifying this idealized manhood to push consumption. Curator: Exactly. The wrestling scene below isn't particularly dynamic, is it? It’s more of a posed demonstration, neatly framed, carefully colored. It reminds me of the way Greek sculpture was reinterpreted in academic art; an attempt to find an ideal form and present it for admiration. Editor: So, it's not just a portrait of a wrestler, but a carefully constructed image meant to sell an idea? Like strength and masculinity that are for sale. Curator: Precisely. This tiny card speaks volumes about the commercialization of sports and the creation of celebrity in late 19th-century America. We're seeing the birth of the sports hero as a marketing tool, long before Gatorade ads. It's sort of like, if you buy this, you will become this. Editor: It is thought provoking to explore consumerism of beauty and body images in early works like this, and to explore how the consumerism of images can be back dated to late 19th century America.