Leon A. "Lee" Viau, Pitcher, Cincinnati, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This small card from 1888, made by Goodwin & Company, features Leon A. "Lee" Viau, a pitcher for Cincinnati. The image is a photograph, mass-produced as part of the "Old Judge" series to be included in cigarette packs. Consider the nature of this object: not a painting or sculpture, but a piece of commercial ephemera. The card's sepia tone evokes nostalgia, but its original context was one of mass consumption and advertising. Photography, in its early days, was itself a technology of reproduction, perfectly suited for the needs of a growing consumer culture. The image of Viau, striking a pose rather than in mid-action, speaks to the card's purpose: to sell cigarettes. The very act of collecting these cards became a form of consumption in itself. This was a time when leisure, sport, and tobacco were powerfully intertwined, and images like this one played a key role in forging those connections. So, we can understand the image on the card as part of a much larger network of production, labor, and lifestyle.