Michael J. Slattery, Left Field, New York, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Editor: This is Michael J. Slattery, a baseball card from 1888, part of the "Old Judge" series. It was produced by Goodwin & Company. It seems like such a humble image – almost faded, like a sepia-toned memory. He's mid-throw, isn't he? What catches your eye about this piece? Curator: You know, it's funny, at first glance, it seems like a simple sports portrait, doesn't it? But when I really sink into the moment captured, I'm drawn to how the background almost melts away into a sort of idyllic field – hardly the gritty baseball diamonds I imagine. Does it feel to you like a bit of a fantasy? Baseball, a young man, at play? The slightly romantic backdrop and the commercial nature of the thing co-existing in this weird dance. Editor: It is a bit of a contrast, actually. I suppose it’s trying to elevate the subject? To make the card, and therefore the cigarettes, more appealing. It feels staged. Curator: Exactly! It’s this negotiation between raw athleticism and the performative aspect, isn't it? He's an athlete, and a model. Consider this within the context of 1888 – photography still finding its footing in mass culture. Now, baseball stars are ubiquitous. Here? A bit novel, a bit constructed, a lot intriguing. I mean, why place him in what almost appears to be an orchard? Editor: I didn’t think of the staging, just its lack of finesse. Now, it speaks of a real cultural moment! These early commercial images say so much about how we construct our heroes, and, in this case, sell tobacco! Curator: Precisely! And you start to wonder about Slattery himself. Was he in on the "art," so to speak? It reminds me how layers are always peeled away.