John Joseph "Handsome Jack" Carney, 1st Base, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This card, dating from 1888, was made by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. It features John Joseph "Handsome Jack" Carney, 1st Base, for the Washington Nationals. Printed using photolithography, the image is transferred onto the card using a photographic process, then chemically etched, allowing for mass production. The sepia tone, a result of the developing process, gives the card a nostalgic feel, a common aesthetic in commercial imagery of the time. It's not exactly high art, but this image belongs to a much wider world of visual culture. The card's small size and the material are significant. Intended as a collectible inserted into cigarette packs, the card embodies the rise of consumer culture and leisure activities. Its creation involved industrial processes, far removed from traditional art making, yet it reflects an artistic sensibility, capturing a moment in baseball history. Considering its materials, manufacturing, and purpose, challenges our conventional understanding of art, design, and popular culture.