Williamson, Shortstop, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is an 1887 portrait from the Old Judge series, a photography print by Goodwin & Company. It features Williamson, a shortstop for Chicago. It really feels like a relic of a bygone era; there’s almost a posed, stoic quality about it. What catches your eye when you look at this? Curator: What catches *my* eye? The cigarette ad! Seriously, though, think about this image floating around in a pack of smokes back in the day. It's both an advertisement and a cultural artifact. But more than that, it transports me to a simpler time, before hyper-commercialization perhaps. It’s like peering through a sepia-toned window into the late 19th century, isn’t it? I'm captivated by the subject, framed almost religiously...do you see how light almost blesses his upturned palms ready to catch the ball, and in that light... a sacred object, perhaps? It makes me think, "What are *our* sacred objects?" Our modern relics... would they ever possess such a poignant simplicity? What do you think? Editor: That’s a really interesting perspective! I hadn't considered the… well, almost reverential presentation. It almost elevates baseball, and Williamson himself, beyond just a sport. Do you think the company deliberately aimed for that effect, or was it just a product of the photographic style of the time? Curator: I like to think they stumbled upon it, but I’m usually wrong! Either way, it seems they grasped that people collect what they admire. That's as true in the 1880s with baseball cards, as it is today. Editor: I guess it really puts those objects into a whole new context. Thanks for sharing. Curator: My pleasure, it's been grand musing on that photo and discussing with you.