Sutton, 3rd Base, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This photographic print of Sutton, 3rd Base, Boston, was created by Goodwin & Company in 1887 as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. The sepia tone and rectangular format lend it a sense of historical distance, yet the subject is immediately accessible: a baseball player poised to strike. The composition is structured by contrasting forms. Straight lines of the bat and the player's stance sharply cut through the hazy background. The curve of the baseball hovering to the left echoes the rounded lettering of "Old Judge Cigarettes" at the top, creating a visual rhyme that links the player to the product. Consider the semiotics at play: the baseball uniform, bat, and brand name function as signs, each loaded with cultural meaning. Together, they construct a narrative about American identity, commerce, and leisure. The act of framing Sutton in this way serves not just as a portrait, but also as an embodiment of late 19th-century ideals and aspirations. Its formal qualities are deeply intertwined with the cultural context of its creation and reception.