Clinch and Upper Cut, Jemmy Carney and Jemmy Mitchell, from the Boxing Positions and Boxers series (N266) issued by P. Lorillard Company to promote Red Cross Long Cut Tobacco 1893

This chromolithograph, “Clinch and Upper Cut, Jemmy Carney and Jemmy Mitchell” was created around 1888 by the P. Lorillard Company as an advertisement. The composition is structured around the interlocking forms of the two boxers. Note how the color palette, dominated by muted blues and reds, creates a strangely serene atmosphere, belying the violence of the sport. The figures are flattened, almost schematic, which emphasizes the geometry of their poses. The image operates on multiple levels. On one hand, it’s a straightforward advertisement, using the popularity of boxing to sell tobacco. However, it also presents a study in contrasts, a visual metaphor for the push and pull of competition. The formal structure reflects the dynamic interplay of opposing forces. The tension between these readings reminds us that images are rarely straightforward; their meanings are always constructed through a complex interplay of form and context. And so we must continuously re-evaluate our interpretations.