Sears, Lawn Tennis, from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes 1888

Curator: The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this small treasure: "Sears, Lawn Tennis," from the Goodwin Champion series made around 1888 by Goodwin & Company, likely using colored pencil and printing techniques. It originally served as a promotional insert for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes. Editor: Well, initially, I'm struck by how the red and white stripes of the man's jacket practically vibrate against the soft, impressionistic background. It's an unexpectedly bold aesthetic for something meant to be tucked into a cigarette pack. Curator: Indeed, these cards played a fascinating role in shaping celebrity culture and popularizing sports like tennis. It reflects the growing leisure time among the upper classes and the commercialization of athleticism. Editor: Note the pose too. While conventional, standing on court holding his racket with matching cap and jacket – all reinforce that the intent of the artist wasn't realism. The planes flatten. Notice, for example, how the far hedge, court, and fence blend into bands. Are there stylistic connections here to Ukiyo-e? Curator: It is possible. Goodwin and company tapped into popular trends of the period to maximize sales. Advertising was quickly learning to harness imagery for sales. This depiction served to market not just the cigarettes, but an aspirational lifestyle associated with health, wealth and leisure. Editor: It is tempting to ask what, if anything, this imagery has to do with tobacco products. But then, looking at it this way, there’s a definite tension between the active sportsman and the passive consumption advertised around him. An early study in cognitive dissonance, perhaps. Curator: It's important to remember these cards weren't just art, but marketing tools. The idealized images helped normalize cigarette consumption in growing American society. By associating smoking with wholesome activities like tennis, they cleverly masked its potential dangers and societal impact. Editor: Seeing the flattened perspective now adds an interesting layer; reducing Sears to merely a cog within a broader societal mechanism—a critique through composition, if one might dare! Curator: The card allows for interesting discussions about advertising's role in culture. It encapsulates the values, anxieties, and ambitions of its era. Editor: Quite. It is indeed a surprisingly potent image, made all the more fascinating by its humble origins. It is interesting to think how the semiotics of popular marketing continues to shape culture to the current day.